Carpets N More

Has one of your children suggested that he or she temporarily move back home? This can happen for a number of reasons. It may be to reduce expenses while returning to school or after a layoff. It’s a good way to save money for a down payment on a home, or pay back some debts.

This can work very well, but don’t jump into it without some planning and discussion of expectations. This situation is not the same as it was when your child was in high school. Work together to figure out ground rules that work for all of you. Let’s consider some issues you may want to address.

First, agree on a plan for the stay. This should include specific goals, a timeframe, and the amount of money your child will save or use to pay debts. The next part of the plan is specifics on what expenses the child will cover and any responsibilities taken on around the house. It’s important not to slip into the old parent-child relationship. This means that parents do not do their laundry or clean up after them. Include real consequences for not meeting the plan, up to and including having your child move out.

Determine which space or spaces will be given to your child for the duration of the stay. You do not have to give your child his or her old bedroom if it is not convenient. It would be good if the space includes a private bathroom. Don’t feel obligated to redecorate in any permanent way for his or her stay. Leave the flooring, but you may want to encourage the addition of an area rug to personalize the space. Paint, some of their own furniture and art will help make the space theirs.

Finally, don’t expect to exert the same kind of discipline that you used when your child was young. It is no longer appropriate. However, you do have the right to ensure that your comfort and convenience are not affected. Be sure to request notice about which meals he or she will be home for, and ask them to stay quiet if coming in late in the evening.

With these issues covered, you are all in for a more pleasant time while sharing your home with your child as an adult.

As parents age, eventually you may have to help them re-design their lives. Health issues can make it hard for a parent to continue to live independently, but personality, emotional and financial factors may eliminate the possibility of assisted living or other institutional options.

If you’re considering bringing one or both parents into your home, making a few plans first can help this transition work well for everyone involved.

To start, make sure your family member or members have a realistic understanding of the situation. If possible show them the space they would have, and get measurements to keep their furniture expectations realistic. Let them redecorate the space to make it their own.

Be sure to do a safety check on your home before your parent or parents move in. Look for tripping hazards such as rugs without non-slip pads. If possible, carpet their space. Carpeting is the safest flooring for the elderly because it cushions falls. You may also want to add safety bars to showers or bathtubs.

If you can, provide a bedroom, a bathroom and a sitting room to ensure enough privacy. It’s generally a good idea to include a television in their personal space so that there will be no program debates among the generations.

Plan to provide additional storage space for valued possessions. Remember that something that may not seem valuable to you may hold special memories for a parent. If you need to, rent storage space to hold their things until they’re ready to let them go.

Above all, work to keep the lines of communication open. There will be challenges, but with effort you will all find the time together to be rewarding.

Many people would rather stay within a budget with their basement spaces, but that doesn’t mean that the look can’t be design-rich. Take a look at this lower level room. The solid-surface flooring takes on a personality of its own that perfectly suits the very modern persona of the room.

The most powerful design feature in this room is the suspended staircase. By opening up the stairwell, the homeowners have taken their basement from an unnoticed space and turned it into an exciting addition. The metal and wood staircase has a double value thanks to the light super-shiny floor. The reflection of the stairs actually acts as artwork underfoot.

The rest of the room keeps to the modern tone. A wall of contemporary images in matching frames provides an inexpensive but dramatic attention-grabber as you descend into the room. The conversation area is defined by the white sofa and loveseat and the daring zebra rug. A black and white theme continues with throw pillows and a series of vases.

Other than the addition of the stairway, this room was not expensive to create, but it has a high-priced impact. The reason for that comes from the powerful design that moves this room from basement to an exciting part of the total home.

How does this room make you feel? For most people, this space offers an invitation to walk in and make yourself comfortable.

The coffered ceiling, window casings, fireplace and built-in cupboard could be overwhelming with their strong presentation. However, gentle buttermilk walls contrast only slightly with the pure white of the architectural details, keeping every element low-key.

The flooring is a light oak. This is a perfect selection for the space’s traditional style. The oversize area rug has a soft tweedy pattern which adds another layer of design without outshining the rest of the room. Wood floors and area rugs are such a classic and inviting look and it works with almost any rug/floor combination.

One important element in creating an inviting space is light. By choosing simple light wood blinds, they can be pulled up during the day to take advantage of the sunshine and pulled down for privacy at night. In the evening, the ceiling light fixture combines with the lamp in the right corner to provide a warmly lighted space in the evening. Brightening up the corners with table lamps makes a room feel more welcoming.

Sofa and chair are of the same light sage green, adding color without taking over the room. The simple solid-color pillows can be requisitioned for a number of uses, but their gentle tones are also consistent with the soft nature of the room. Add in two round ottomans by the fireplace and this room is ready to make you comfortable.

What ideas from this room can you borrow to make your home more comfortable as well as lovely? Remember to design for your own comfort as well as your style preferences.

Hunter Douglas, the number one manufacturer of window treatments and designs in the USA, came up with 10 window trends for any homemaker to use. Read on and make sure to apply the following tips to update your home’s look.

Sheer Fabrics- Soft and see-through fabrics are becoming popular nowadays. Credit goes to the popularity it enjoyed in Asia. Create a soft and undulating look to your windows with these fabrics.

Controlled day lighting- Many of Hunter Douglas products possess automation features for blinds, louvers, slats, panels and vanes that can control just how much light you want in a room or in what direction you would like it to go.

Window walls- Also called ‘open spaces’, it’s becoming popular for some rooms such as bathrooms to have window walls to create or vanish the sense of privacy and increase intimacy.

Complementing with rugs- Window treatments are used to complement a favorite area rug in terms of color, shade, material and even size.

Cornices- A window treatment will never be complete without the finishing touch, a cornice.

Window gadgets- Hunter Douglas has a wide array of controls and gadgets to control the performance of your window treatments as far as amount of lighting and direction of light is concerned.

Eco friendly design- The Duette product comes in a honeycomb within a honeycomb design that offers natural heat insulation and traps harmful UV rays, thus reducing energy costs.

Online support- One can upload a photo of her own room in the Hunter Douglas website and can see instant outcome by trying on any Hunter Douglas products.

Room darkening fabrics-Products that can darken the room efficiently, thus making a person relax more and sleep better.

New! Neutral colors- Color trends tend to go to neutral palettes and new colors such as pale pink, purple and green.