Quick Home Interior Remedies
The holidays are just around the corner, which means lots of opportunities for entertaining. More than likely, you will have many family members and friends that you have not seen in years stop by to visit. As much as we all hate to admit it, people judge. Your guests will look around your home to see what has changed in the last several years since they last saw you-or the lack of change. Just like clothing, home interior decorating styles change over time too. It is important to keep your home up-to-date. With a few simple tricks, you can transform your beautiful 90′s house into a stunning 21st century home.Nancy Schoen has been an interior designer in North Texas for the last 20 years. She has seen styles come, go and come back, and many styles come and go, but continue lingering in many homes. According to Schoen, there are a few tricks to making your home really pop and show that it belongs in 2009. First of all, the most important thing is to get rid of the old. There’s a reason the saying goes, “Out with the old, in with the new.” It doesn’t matter how much new stuff you have, if you have one silk ficus tree or eucalyptus plant, your home will automatically lose some of it’s visual appeal. “Kick the silks to the curb,” Schoen said.The next most important thing, according to this designer, is to add on to what’s already there. For example if you have a light fixture that you’ve had several years, but you want to add a little pizzaz, get some stylish lamp shades. You do not have to upgrade and get an entirely new light fixture, just make the current one pop by adding a little flare. However, if you still have a brass light fixture or chandelier, you should definitely try to upgrade. Baker’s racks in kitchens are totally hot to play with too. Schoen said she loves to see homes that use their baker’s racks as a source for a display; put some cornucopia up there for fall, dangle some big Christmas ornaments from it in the winter, just play with it and add a little something special to make it stand out.Lastly, if you really want to catch the attention of your guests and add value to your home, add some metal work and sconces. “Metals and earth tones are the hottest thing right now,” Schoen said. Adding ironwork mustaches and finials above doorframes is a great way to accent the entrance to a room. Sconces are also a great choice on either side of artwork or in the corner of a room because you can do so much with them. Use it as a plate or plaque display, put a dried flower arrangement on top of it, or fill an empty sconce with decorative balls. Use your imagination. And when it comes to actually accenting the walls themselves, stay away from white and basic contractor’s colors. Use the muted earth tones to add warmth. Using the sage greens, raw umber, and browner shades will add to a complimentary flow throughout your home. Just remember it is vital that in painting your home, whether just an accent wall or the entire room, to pay attention to the lines. Cut in the paint to the corners and especially the ceiling. Taping-off before hand is the best way to prevent accidentally rolling or stroking paint onto another wall. If a paint line is not straight, it will distract from the beauty of the room, and detract from the value of your home should you ever want to sell.So just remember Nancy’s simple steps; Out with the old, make due with the used, and then in with the new. It is necessary to keep these steps in this order. And if applied properly, your home can go from drab to fab!
Cruise Tours Offer Unparalleled Sightseeing And Leisure
Going a cruise can offer a great way to travel. If you enjoy going on a cruise, but find that the one day they give you in a particular port of call leaves you desiring more, the answer may be something called a cruise tour. Cruise tours allow for more time to enjoy your destination. An overnight stay inland can provide you a glimpse beyond a traditional cruise.Alaska and Europe, in particular the Mediterranean, are both perfect locations for a cruise tour. Royal Caribbean International also markets cruise tours to Asia, Australia /New Zealand and South America. With pricing starting as low as $1,400, cruise tours is a unique option to enjoy the best of both worlds, land and sea.For example, if you have always wanted to go to Alaska, but have no idea how to go about planning your travel itinerary, a cruise line like Royal Caribbean takes care of all of that for you. There are certain ports of where all you have to do is select the things that you might find the most appealing. Usually these events are offered as special tours sponsored by the cruise line.Some of America’s most beautiful natural resources can be found in Alaska. If you live in the city or suburbs, it is not every day that you can see a glacier! Alaska provides unparalleled natural beauty and abundant wildlife. Alaska is considered a must-see destination for many cruisers. Alaska includes such places as the Yukon, Inside Passage, the Klondike, Arctic and of course famous National Parks like, Denali, Glacier Bay, Misty Fjords and Gates of the Arctic. If you take an Alaska cruise, not only will you get to see these natural wonders, but you will get to do so without much of the stress that goes along with traveling. A cruise tour is an ideal way to visit America’s gigantic wilderness.An Alaska cruise tour allows you to enjoy it’s beautiful creations first hand. You can observe glaciers, orcas, majestic mountains and such animals as grizzly bears, moose, eagles and wolves. However, in addition to cruising down Alaska’s shoreline, you can travel deep into the heart of Alaska in deluxe motor coaches and even glass domed railcars. You can see the majestic Mt. McKinley, visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve or tour the Arctic Inuit villages.An extended tour of the land locked areas by way of the Alaskan Rail, is an uncommon way to explore the northernmost US state. The 611 miles of track run from Seward, in the south, northwards to the end of the line in Eielson, just east of Fairbanks. The Railroad features domed glass-topped passenger cars that give the best possible views of the fantastic scenery. The passenger cars offer world-class luxury, with reclining seats, picture windows, and dining rooms furnished with original Alaskan artwork.On an Alaska cruise tour, travelers will spend the night in wilderness lodges and experience some of the most delicious cuisine. Alaska’s native salmon is readily prepared in dishes by world class chefs. Additionally, cruise lines and lodges often provide seminars to give you a better understanding of what Alaska has to offer.Another cruise tour option is the magical draw of Europe. From the Mediterranean to Northern Europe, there’s so much history of art, music, classic architecture, fine wine and many modern day wonders. Europe is really one of the most extraordinary continents to take a cruise tour. Many experienced travelers will confirm that Europe cruise tours are one of the most enjoyable ways to explore Europe. While on a Europe cruise tour, you can visit some of Europe’s largest cities, but also some of it’s most quaint villages. There are spectacular castles and cathedrals throughout the Old World Europe in Prague, Copenhagen and Budapest Hungary.Typical overnight stays are in Istanbul, Barcelona and Venice, Italy. More and more people return from these trips with stories of how Turkey was the best stop. Cruising on Europe’s famous rivers and inland waters provides opportunities for unique shopping and to experience the rich history of these ancient cities.