Gifts and Gadgets for Foodies
December 19, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Food, Gift Guide
Holidays are all about family gatherings, laughter and fun; they are time around the table with an abundance of food and a gathering of loved ones. However, before these joyous moments take place, hours are spent in the kitchen preparing favorite recipes and delicious holiday cookies. Dirty dishes pile over, spills and splatters decorate stove [...]
Window treatments add style, personality
September 6, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor
Window treatments are both an accessory and an important, functional part of a room. Curtains and blinds can block or filter intense sunlight, leaving a room cooler on hot days, or they can block evening street lamps or lights from passing cars to create a more comfortable sleeping environment. They can offer a sense of [...]
Outdoor Living Spaces
July 26, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor, outdoor
While many folks long for a distant summer getaway, others are finding a relaxing retreat in their own backyard. Outdoor living spaces have grown in popularity for the past several years, and the American Society of Landscape Architects reports that 94.4 percent of residential landscape architects believe outdoor living spaces will continue to be popular [...]
A Small Retreat in a Busy Home
June 16, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under At Home
Outside the bustling kitchen, the family room with television and laughter, the game room and basements filled with activity, and the home office with piles of bills and paperwork, a carefully designed sitting area can be the ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether you’re seeking solitude and tranquility, a peaceful place to sit by [...]
The wallpaper comeback: big patterns take stage
March 6, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor
Mauve hues and brass fixtures may have lost their luster since their overwhelming popularity in the 1980s, but another feature of 1980’s interior decorating style, wallpaper, is currently making a major comeback. However, the wallpaper being pasted onto foyer and dining room walls today is quite different from the muted florals and swirling ivy patterns [...]
Soft sheets, happy couples
February 12, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor
There are many decorating tips directed toward couples who share a bedroom, including not having a television in the bedroom that distracts from the couple’s private time together and not placing the bed against the wall so that one person has to awkwardly climb across the bed to get out. Another area of focus is [...]
Decorating with children’s art
January 26, 2010 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor
Parents with artwork piling up around the house have several options for preserving and displaying their children’s early masterpieces.
The Christmas Centerpiece
December 14, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
The photo above is from a Christmas luncheon I attended last weekend. I thought the centerpiece was elegant and did a nice job of adding a focal point to the table without overwhelming the table or getting in the way of the meal itself or the conversation around it. It is important to consider the [...]
The joy of handmade Christmas ornaments
December 11, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Decor
there are some easy and beautiful ornaments that families can make together in their home. Not only will handmade ornaments give the tree an even more personal quality, but the act of making the ornaments will give families a chance to spend time together, bonding during the all-too-often hectic season.
Filling the Home with Holiday Cheer
December 11, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
A few ideas for spreading holiday cheer throughout the home: · Tie wire edged ribbon on anything around the home—candle sticks, chair backs, vases. · Add greenery and berries to the chandelier in the dining room · Place candles on the dining table, on the mantle, on the coffee table and anywhere else [...]
A Cleaner Candle
December 10, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
As we light candles in our homes this season to enhance the holiday aura, we might want to take a little caution, not just with the burning flame but with the wax. New soy wax candles are hitting the market with many advantages over traditional paraffin wax candles. To start with paraffin [...]
Gift Ideas for Teens
December 9, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
For anyone a little at a loss as they shop for a teen this holiday season, here are some suggestions gathered from various online resources. Apple iPod Nano 8G or iPod accessories Design and Create Your Own Converse Sneakers at converse.com or Design & Customize Your Own Pair of Nikes at nike.com DJ Hero – [...]