Tips & Tricks

Here are a few important furniture buying “buzz words” you should know. …

A great tip for giving your home a fresh new look without breaking the budget is RE-PURPOSING.  Take a traditional piece of furniture that you already own- or find one at a flea market or yard sale and give it a new purpose by using it in a new and unique way. …

OK, it may sound like an overly simplified answer… but you would be surprised how many people make the mistake of purchasing furniture without measuring.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say, “It looks so much bigger in my living room than it did in the store”. …

Need to hang your keys and stash your id badge near the garage or front door, but hate seeing the clutter?  Check out the solution one of iinnovators customers came up with for their entryway (link to testimonial).  …

Halloween is on the way and everyone is thinking about costumes, candy, scary places and pumpkins.

Make your pumpkin stand out from the crowd this season with an innovative new carving style.

For a real quick pumpkin carve, find a nice sized pumpkin that has a very long stem.

Set the pumpkin on its side, let it roll around and see where it settles down.

Take a look at the pumpkin and imagine it is a face, pretending the stem is a nose. The creases around the stem will add a lot of character to the pumpkin so that it looks as if it is squinting.

Carve out a mouth and eyes. You can even remove the skin and partially cutting out material will expose the internal pumpkin meat, allowing for teeth and whites of the eyes. You can use beans, marbles and even colored hat pins can be used for pupils.

This technique will make your pumpkin come to life.  Just get creative with it!

*French Castle style kitchen= open and inviting!*

The French Castle style of this kitchen makes for a very comfortable, functional and most importantly; aesthetically appealing kitchen environment from which to get creative with your cuisine!

Check out how the lighting enhances the woodwork and makes the room feel almost alive.  Geometrics play a major role in the design of this kitchen, so if this is the look you are going for…make sure that you take into consideration the measurements of cabinetry, counters and tables before making additions.

Open space is important in this type of setting, so spread things out when designing.  Consider hanging utensils and cooking supplies to save space and improve accessibility.  This will make the daily interaction and activities in the kitchen much less stressful and carefree!

*This morrocan style living room is personal and functional!*

Your living room is the place that everyone interacts, relaxes and visits in, but you don’t have to sacrifice style to make it comfortable!  A functional and inviting furniture arrangement will encourage people to stay in the room and enjoy themselves and creative styling and use color can promote positive feelings.  Allowing your personality to shine through will promote good feelings and bring positive energy to your space.

When going through the process of determining where you will place your furniture, focus on an organizational pattern that maximizes the functionality of your living room.  Use the resources you have and look at some furniture organization templates to get an idea of what would work best, based upon what you currently have.  If there is something you need to supplement, save up and purchase accordingly; but don’t stress out if you don’t have the perfect living room set, that will come with time!

Use area rugs and pillows to re-enforce seating areas and add color to the room.  These can also be used to cover up wood or tile flooring and soften the room.  Lighter color palettes in the living room help to brighten the environment, promote a positive energy and increase the compatibility of mixed color furniture and accessories.

Get creative and place items where you think they will work best.  Don’t worry about being overly particular, let the room come together on it’s own!

The art of Feng Shui is about so much more than simply choosing a certain palette, organization method or other technique; but rather the personal touch of the individual who is expressing themselves.  There is no simple formula which everyone can use, just an instinct which you must call upon in order to truly express your unique style and feng shui.

To set up for the proper balance, furniture should be planned out to fit in a rectangular or square pattern. Fabric covered furniture should be in yang related colors in order to activate the yang chi (which should be activated in bright, active spaces such as the living room).

Decorate for the elements.  Incorporate all 5 (fire, water, earth, metal, wood, fire) and you will complete your yin/yang.  Focus on the areas which are most beneficial to you and relate the most to your personal style, then move forward from there.

Keep it simple and just get creative.  Variety is key, so shop around for items which hold a unique value and history.  Collection items from places you visit and use them to decorate “memories”.  This will help you build the feng shui in your home over time through experiences.

Color plays a big part in feng shui decoration, so get colorful and express your feelings through the surroundings.  Use it as a palette from which you will build upon with accessories, wall art, cabinetry and shelving, lighting, you name it.

Keep it instinctive more than anything.  If you are looking for some inspiration from a seasoned professional, get advice that will guarantee you top notch results!

Most people spend a large amount of time in their homes.

While many people head out into the world for work every day, many individuals are working and running businesses right out of their home.

With this in mind we compiled a short list of helpful tips and suggestions which will help you to stay safe over the holidays and create a home environment which is just as safe as your workplace.

- Keep stairways and hallways clutter free

- Install bright lights on porches, stairways and landings

- Install handrails on all stairways

- Install adhesive strips or decals on the floors of bathtubs or showers

- Install smoke alarms/detectors on every floor of your home and frequently test them

- Never burn candles unattended and always place in a fire-proof container

- Consider using an artificial Christmas tree in place of a real tree

- Hand hygiene - Wash hands not once but twice, since the vast majority of infections are spread through the hands

- Provide adequate task lighting for activities such as cooking, sewing, reading, etc.

- Provide good ventilation throughout the home, especially in kitchens and baths to reduce contaminates

If you do all of these things, your home will be much safer for both you, your family and all of your guests over the holiday seasons!

Shopping for paint in your local home improvement store?  Grab a few of the paint chips you are considering and walk over to the lighting department. …