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    Home Improvement and DIY

    Home Ownership 101: How To Protect Your Forever Home From Loss And Damage

    For many people, an ultimate life goal is owning a forever home. It’s that one special house or property that really feels like home. It might have some land, a swimming pool, historic charm and architecture, or it might just give you your own office and space to work or relax in. We all have a list of requirements, and the aim of buying, selling and moving properties often is to get to that end goal of acquiring a dream property. Once you find it however, is that truly it? I think we all know the answer to that! In addition to just decorating and cosmetic changes, our beloved dwellings require more thorough home maintenance and upkeep over the years to keep them attractive, safe and habitable. *This post contains affiliate links.

    How to maintain and protect your forever home from loss

     

    We all want to feel safe and secure in our homes, and we also want to ensure that we can protect our homes from all sorts of things that could potentially go wrong during ownership. There are going to be necessary home improvements over time, building work that should be done, landscaping that must be managed, and the list goes on and on. Therefore it is worthwhile to start looking into some of the ways that you can potentially protect your forever home. Not just from hardship and damage, but also from any financial loss you could experience. Today I am sharing some basic ways you can protect and care for your “home sweet home.”

     

     Take on some of the chores you don’t enjoy doing.

     

    Home maintenance check list

    Image

    There are plenty of chores and home maintenance jobs that we simply don’t enjoy doing. Sure, we may all have our own cleaning schedules that we adhere to so that we are able to keep the interior of our homes looking clean and tidy. But what about the exterior of our properties? There will always be yearly chores that we keep meaning to do but would much rather put off for another day. Clearing out the gutters, inspecting pipework, repairing cracks, taking care of the gardens and keeping a close eye on any large trees growing nearby are absolutely essential chores that must be done to protect our forever homes. Trees can cause damage to foundations and property grounds, so it is always worth ensuring you know where you stand with them.

    No one enjoys doing labor intensive jobs like the gutters! But making sure these tasks are updated and checked regularly can protect your home and help you to avoid any issues with financial repairs in the future. Learning a few DIY skills and keeping basic tools on hand are necessary parts of home ownership that will ensure the safety and value of your home in the long run.

     Think of the security of your home and what you can do to protect it.

    Beautiful Rottweiler friend and protector

    Source

    We can all do more to protect our home, and with the advancements of technology, we can certainly be more proactive. What we can’t do, however, is predict what opportunists or thieves are going to do and when they might strike. You may go throughout your whole life and never be subject to the devastation that a house break in can cause. However, what is in your control is how you protect your home.  You should certainly have fire alarms installed on all floors and be sure to check the batteries periodically. And it seems like a no-brainer, but always lock your home and car doors. I learned that the hard way a few years ago when I had my purse stolen right out of my car parked in the driveway, the day before Thanksgiving! I had to cancel all our credit cards and close our bank accounts the day before my favorite holiday, simply because I neglected to lock the door. 

    You could also consider upgrading your alarm system. These days you can have additional security options such as security cameras or surveillance on the exterior and interior of your home. There is even an alarm system you can purchase that will enable you to see who is lurking at your front door. Additional fences, gates and even having a dog can all be great security measures to put in place as well. 

    Could you benefit from any additional insurance or warranty policies?

    How to protect your home from loss Insurance policies

    Source

    Not all of us can predict if things are going to go wrong with our home, especially if things look great on the surface. We can also be subject to weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances that again can affect our homes. This is when additional policies that you could put in place could help you to cover any financial issues. Websites like https://housemethod.com/providers/home-warranty-reviews/ could mean that you get a decent warranty in place that could cover things in your home. Insurance policies for buildings and even the contents in your home can also be put in place to help protect yourself from adverse conditions and unforeseen situations.

    Have you fully considered any plans you have for home improvements?

    How to protect your home from loss. Home Maintenance and upkeep

    Finally, have you fully considered the plans you want to make in your home? Could you do anything that could make things better? Adding extensions and changing floor plans in your home to better suit your visions and family can be a great way to make the home more user-friendly. But you need to ensure that you consider and plan things out according to approval with local organizations. You may also want to really consider your budget and what you can do to protect yourself once the project begins to take shape.


    Beautiful Home Dream Home Protect your home from loss

    Source

    Being a homeowner is can be a rewarding experience. By following these simple home maintenance and upkeep and safety suggestions you can be sure to protect your forever home— and your peace of mind.

    Amber

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    Want more inspiring ideas?
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    Your email is always protected.

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    Vintage Style

    How To Create The Vintage Bedroom Of Your Dreams

    How To Create A Vintage Bedroom

     

    Do you love vintage style and interior design as much as I do? If so, you might be thinking about creating a bedroom design that has a vintage feel. This can be a wonderful choice, allowing you to make your bedroom feel comfortable and cozy as well as quaint. So, how do you create this type of aesthetic in your bedroom? *This post contains affiliate links.

    Stunning Rosabelle Bedding by Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Bedding Vintage Bedroom

    Source: Rachel Ashwell Rosebelle Bedding

     

    Start With The Bed…Obviously

    The bed is without a doubt the most important feature in your bedroom and not just for the purposes of sleeping. It can be a beautiful focal point or even a family heirloom.  It will most likely take up the largest amount of space in your room, and regardless of what else you put in your bedroom, the bed will be the main piece of furniture.  Therefore be sure to plan accordingly and measure when designing a vintage bedroom. Luckily, there are lots of great vintage style bed choices from a farmhouse or Victorian style metal frame bed, to a bed with a beautiful headboard with a vintage cushion design or a retro shape.

    Vintage farmhouse style bed

    Farmhouse Style Vintage Style Metal Bed

    tufted head linen headboard

    Tufted Wingback Bed

     

    Today people are getting very creative with beds and coming up with unique headboards using salvaged objects. This photo is from our shabby chic, vintage cottage bedroom at our previous home, where my husband and I repurposed an old vintage door as a headboard. We changed styles a bit when we moved but I loved that vintage attic-turned- bedroom!

    Vintage Chenille Bedspread

    Romantic Shabby Chic Bedroom Vintage Bedroom Ideas

    One of the most important things to remember when selecting a vintage bed is that the mattress can be as modern as you like as long as it fits (some antique beds are an odd size, so be sure to check before snatching up a great “find” while you are out junkin’ that you may not be able to find a mattress to fit.)

    Textiles

    One of many  mattress tips to use when styling a vintage bedroom is to start with vintage style sheets in your color scheme. Although I am a blancophile, soft pastels and florals are great for a vintage bedroom too. Bedding is the main way to pull a vintage bedroom together to fit in with the overall design. Of course layering beautiful vintage style pillows or hanging soft sheers will help create the vintage bedroom you have been dreaming of.

    Rachel Ashweell Bedding Royal Bouquet

    Source: Rachel Ashwell Royal Bouquet Bedding

     

    Rachel Ashwell Soho bed

    Source: Rachel Ashwell Soho Bed Vintage Linens

    Display Vintage  Jewelry 

    Displaying vintage jewelry is an easy way to create a vintage look in the bedroom. It gives you the chance to enjoy some antique or retro jewelry from different generations and decades that you have collected over the years instead of keeping them stored away.

    You can display your hoards collections in pretty vintage vignettes on top of the dresser.

    How to create a vintage bedroom of your dreams vintage jewelry collection shabby chic

     

    Here I displayed a collection of vintage pearls on a shabby chic candleabra and an old dress form to create a very shabby chic and romantic cottage look in our bedroom.

    Brocante Bedroom ideas blanc French bedroom Vintage bedroom ideas

    There are also many handmade and vintage style jewelry organizers that will add vintage charm to your bedroom. If you like boho chic or retro vintage style, here is a beautiful example:

    Handmade jewelry organizer

    If you have shiplap, paneling or brick, you can simply add hooks to hang the jewelry on. You can find hooks like the ones below from stores such as Not On The High Street. You can even try to get hooks that are varied to add a little more character to the room.

    Vintage Style Bedroom ideas

     

    Flower Power

    Floral patterns are totally vintage and will look fabulous in your new bedroom. You might consider adding some wallpaper with floral patterns or even a couple of rugs to the floor.

    Gorgeous pink floral area rug pink bedrooms decorating with pink

     

    Alternatively, you could always buy a couple of duvet covers, dressing up your bed just a little more and hiding the only thing that isn’t vintage in the room – the mattress.

    Gorgeous Floral Bedding Blue duvet cover bedspread

    Vintage Style Blue Floral Duvet Set

    Accessories And Styling

    Adding vintage mirrors, antique pictures and other types of unique vintage wall art can help create a vintage look and feel in the bedroom.

    Gorgeous vintage style Peace Wall hanging by Rachel Ashwell

    Source: Rachel Ashwell Peace Banner

     

    Vintage Upcycled Containers For Plants

    You can also think outside the box and add some plants or flowers by doing some upcycling to a container of some kind.  Adding plants to the top of a corner dresser or set of drawers can make it a beautiful focus point of your room. When you’re choosing a pot, remember that it can be anything from an old paint can, to a worn down boot, to vintage tea cups depending on your own personal vintage junk style. If placed correctly, they will make a beautiful, unique bedroom accessory and look absolutely vintage!

    Succulent

    Source: Your Home Based Mom

    I hope you have fun designing your own vintage bedroom! The possibilities are endless, just get out and go junkin’ for some great vintage finds to get you started. There is also a wealth of information and inspiration online such as this awesome example in the twitter post below.

    Vintage and classic ideas to help achieve your dream bedroom. #interiordesign #bedroom https://t.co/deAS0GI5Gb pic.twitter.com/ZmYAtMQhnr

    — Kari Govan Group (@GovanGroup) January 5, 2018

     

    This summer we hope to get started on my our bedroom makeover. We are still collecting ideas (and vintage junk) and planning exactly what we want to do. Of course I will be sharing the whole before and after process here on the blog. I have been spending my time on Pinterest, another great source of inspiration. If you love all white bedrooms vintage style bedrooms, you might enjoy my Dreaming In White And White Pinterest board too.

    Thanks for visiting today, and may you have sweet dreams planning your vintage style bedroom!

    Amber

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    Style Showcase

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    Home Tours

    Cozy Neutral Winter Home Tour

    Cozy Neutral Winter Home Tour

    Hello everyone and welcome to my cozy neutral winter home! If you are visiting from my dear friend Debra’s beautiful blog, Common Ground, I am so glad you are here! I am happy to share my home with you today and to celebrate the winter season. Being a lover of all things white, I certainly love the beauty of snow. If we must have a winter then let it snow! It may be cold outside, but it is easy to create a warm and welcoming winter home using neutral decor and woodland accents. Although I could do without the extreme cold, I love a crisp winter day with a bit of snow outside. Days like those are perfect for settling in and celebrating the coziness of home.

    cozy neutral winter home tour hygge style winter neutrals

    This morning I awoke to find around four inches of freshly fallen snow, our first big snow of 2018! As I came down the stairs, the living room was so bright and beautiful, as the magical white wonderland outside was bouncing light all around. It was a perfect day for capturing a few last minute pictures of my cozy neutral winter decor to share for the Neutral Winter Decor Blog Hop put together by Kathy at A Delightsome Life.

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    Home Improvement and DIY

    Five Easy Steps To Becoming A DIY Expert

    5 Easy Steps To Becoming A DIY Expert

    There really is nothing quite like being able to solve a problem in your home all by yourself. It can save so much money and also allows you to achieve the home of your dreams. Whether it’s from home renovations shows like Fixer Upper on HGTV,  Hometalk and DIY video tutorials that seem to show up on your Facebook feed all the time, or simply watching friends and family do it, the idea of being able to fix up your home by yourself is something that’s incredibly attractive for a lot of people.

    Chip and Joanna prepping their vacation rental house.

    Source: Entrepneur

    Of course, there’s one important barrier for a lot of people being able to do just that: they have absolutely no idea where even to start and get overwhelmed. I talk to people all the time who might have the drive to do it themselves, but they have no idea what that would even entail. With that in mind, I decided to share Five Easy Steps To Becoming A DIY Expert. Here are some things that you need to do in order to turn yourself into the DIY pro that you’ve always dreamed of being. *This post contains affiliate links.

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