PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Stay Close to Home With the Sprint Coverage MapPosted by admin on August 28th, 2010

Buying a home is a daunting process and certainly one of the biggest purchases you will ever make. That said, it’s never a decision to be taken lightly and it involves lots of market research, a good solid credit history and a team of honest realtors to help you get a home that you feel suits your needs.

If you are a first-time home-buyer, consider what type of home you feel best suits your needs. You certainly want a home that can comfortably accommodate you and your family, but beyond that, what are some of the other things that weigh in. Price certainly matters, as does the condition of the house. That is why potential buyers and homeowners agree to a home inspection prior to a sale so everyone knows of necessary repairs before a transaction can take place.
Consider the neighborhood of the house that you are interested in buying. If you are a parent, you’ll likely want to live in a neighborhood where there are other children and good schools. You’ll also have to consider the safety of the neighborhood and other factors such as how close the house is to your job and other facilities that you seek out regularly. If you are a boat owner, you might want to live in an area with dock access to a body of water. If you are a gardener, you might consider wanting to live in a house that’s on a few acres of property so that you’ll have ample space to grow produce and flowers. Having lots of room to run is also great for people who have children and pets. It’s all up to you. Whether you choose to live in an area that’s urban or rural, you can trust that with the Sprint coverage map, you’ll be able to connected with friends and family… wherever you live.

New LovePosted by admin on August 12th, 2010

I think we need something similar to this – I really wish we can have our own house soon. Everything here is exactly do-able with IKEA and the neighborhood friendly office store!

I’d prefer more comfortable chairs though as I spend almost 12 hours a day in front of the computer seven days a week (if I can’t help it). Working from home, I need a good working environment so I can work in peace and focus.

Open SpacesPosted by admin on August 5th, 2010

Ever since I saw a house with a loft (open second floor), I kind of obsessed with it and looked for houses that feature one. Since I love white and lofts, this picture was perfect. Plenty of room without being too closed in but not so large that you feel you are living in a castle. On another note, you can install  spy gadgets here and you can get a birds eye view of everything already.

Light Unit ReplacementsPosted by admin on August 2nd, 2010

Two years ago we repainted the entire unit and replaced some of the light fixtures. We also installed wall to wall mirror in the dining and living rooms to give the room an illusion that is it bigger than it actually is. We went with Echo Lighting Design to look at kitchen light fixtures and ended up with a chandelier and ceiling fan combination with wooden paddles that nicely matched the kitchen cabinetry so well. We painted the kitchen and dining room walls a pale shade of sage and continued that color scheme towards the living room and the hall leading to the bedrooms. We also planned on installing some recessed and track lights in the living room but when we called the company’s 800 number we were told that we will need a licensed electrician to install new electrical wiring inside the ceiling panels. We aborted that plan and ended up with a Mediterranean inspired ceiling fan with honey colored glass bowl light cover for the dining room and matching pendant light fixtures for the hallway. We also repainted the bathroom pale blue and the bedrooms a very faint shade of taupe. Overall the $700 we forked out from our savings plus 2 weekends we spent painting, installing the new light fixtures, a new stainless microwave and coffee maker, plus new curtains ended up to be one of the best investments we did in our condominium, not only the we love the new look, it also increased the value of our home by at least $10,000.

Choosing the Perfect BedPosted by admin on July 28th, 2010

The average person spends years of his life sleeping. With that thought in mind, you want to make sure your bed is comfortable for you. But with so many different mattress and bed options to choose from, narrowing down which one to buy can be difficult.

Things to take into account when deciding on the type of bed you are going to buy include:
Price. New mattresses and bed sets range from a hundred dollars or so to thousands of dollars, depending on the size, brand, and features. You generally want to purchase the nicest bed you can afford, since a bad mattress can result in back and muscle pain and poor sleep habits. You can also find used mattresses (if that is a route you would like to take) for fairly inexpensive prices.

Size. Most mattresses are twin, full, queen (also called a double bed), and king, with twin being the smallest one-person bed, to full and queen sleeping two comfortably, to king, which is larger. When choosing the size of your bed, consider your height, how many people are sleeping in it (is it just you or you and your spouse), and how much space you or your partner likes when you sleep.

Firmness. Some people like soft, pillowtop mattresses. Others prefer to sleep on one that is more firm. Try different types of beds and see what you find most comfortable. If a fancier pillow-top bed is out of your budget, you can purchase mattress pads inexpensively that can add a lot of cushioning to your bed.

Going to different stores and trying out different beds is a good way to tell what type of bed you think you will be best suited to. It’s also a good way to comparison shop so you can make sure you’re getting the best price.

Bathroom HighPosted by admin on July 24th, 2010

I prefer my bathroom to be white with splashes of colors. But the walls should be white, it’s an OC trait in me I guess. However, sometimes I think having color would be fun. Love the colors and patterns in these bathrooms:

WallpapersPosted by admin on July 9th, 2010

I have been seeing rooms with only one wall wallpapered with print. It looks nice and serves as an accent too. I found these wallpapers while looking for the best acne treatment for a friend. This is from Makelike Designs (shop.makelike.com). Notice the same wall was used and how different prints make the room look smaller or bigger. I even saw rooms with one wall painted differently. I want to try that with my own home next time!

IKEA HousesPosted by admin on May 18th, 2010

I have a lot of home decorating, interior decorating, home improvement blogs in my Google Reader. I also subscribe to a lot of self-improvement blogs. These blogs inspire me and teach me a lot of things. It’s one of the things that you love about the internet – the endless trove of information. Aside from auto insurance reviews, you also get to know and read real feedback from real people.

And based on the reviews, IKEA never disappoints. I have a got a lot of picture of houses furnished almost exclusively by IKEA furniture. When we have  our own house, you bet it will be inspired by IKEA stuff.

SOURCE.

Windows to the HousePosted by admin on May 17th, 2010

I have always thought of windows as the perfect accents to a house. It should match the exteriors and be efficient enough to be able to bring sun and air into the house. I love a roomy, well-ventilated house. And it’s the windows’ strategic location and type that determines it. Even if you have air-conditioning, nothing beats fresh air!

In America most houses prefer the energy efficient windows because they keep them warm during cold weather while keeping the room cool during summer. Having this type of windows can make a difference in your energy saving tradition.

Bay windows are a favorite of mine. These are windows that are joined together to form one large viewing area. They are typically 3 separate windows that make up this window. The centre one is a fixed frame window and the others are double hung or casement depending on the make.

Penguin Windows is a leading company of replacement windows.  Penguin windows come with lifetime guarantee and you can save up to 40% on the energy related bills. The windows are priced moderately which makes them affordable. Penguin windows prefers to install windows using its own trained and certified installers. I might try them soon.

Great Use of White SpacePosted by admin on May 13th, 2010

I have always had a strong affinity towards white things. If only I had three housekeepers to keep my house immaculately clean and have no kids in the house, I would not think twice in getting a white couch. But chances are, it’s always chaos with out family – no need for the strongest fat burners when you are taking care of my kids). I love the artwork in the fireplace and the yellow flowers.

And a great kitchen countertop table.

I want a kitchen that gets such great light – maybe it would help me wake up in the mornings