Wall art is the most common way to breathe life into an empty wall. These simple pieces are easy to install and require almost no maintenance whatsoever, apart from the occasional dusting.

The only real problem, however, is the choice of wall art.

It is said that all art is beautiful – except not all the time. This can’t be truer for wall art, since picking the wrong kind of wall art to go with your living room can actually make things cluttered and tasteless instead.

So what kind of wall art will you add to your living room?

Canvas Wall Art

Paintings are probably the first thing to pop up in most people’s heads when it comes to decorating the walls of a living room – and for good reason too.

‘Design Shuffle: James Rixner Interior Design’ (via)

Canvas opens a wide array of artistic possibilities, all within the confines of a symmetrical rectangle. Mismatching an artistic style with the living room’s décor, however, is a pretty common problem for those who fail to grasp the basics of artistic pairing.  Make sure that you have a solid understanding of your living room’s theme before picking out a painting and you should do just fine.

Wall Art Tapestry

Woven cloth has always been a favorite medium of art in many countries, and the exotic air about a tapestry piece will definitely add much to a living room’s design.

‘Fine Art Tapestries Formal Residences Italian Villa Wall Tapestry / Wall Hanging’ (via)

Wall tapestry is something that adds an earthy, tribal feel to a wall – even if the tapestry itself is made from space-age materials. Even the manner by which art is portrayed on woven thread gives it an exotic aura, adding even more to its overall charm. Just make sure that the designs and colors on the tapestry will match well with the other pieces in the living room.

Metal Wall Art

The toughness and solidity of metal gives it an oppressively powerful aura, making it an ideal material for centerpieces meant to draw a person’s full focus.

‘Butterfly Metal Wall Art’ (via)

There are many designs for metal wall art, but the material they are crafted from will never remove that powerful effect. This makes wall art very effective in filling up large chunks of space on the wall; providing a lot of aesthetic benefits even when only one piece sits on the said wall. This is something that you have to remember, lest you congest your living room’s wall with too many metal art pieces.

Abstract Wall Art

Are you fond of being unique? Do you like moving away from convention? Do you like to tickle people’s thoughts with baffling art? Then abstract art is just the thing for you!

‘Design Shuffle: Chris Judy Abstract Wall Art’ (via)

The puzzling interplay of shapes and colors is what defines this particular genre of art, and this puzzling effect can be brought about in your living room with abstract wall art. Abstract art, however, clashes violently with other more conventional styles. It is for this reason that you have to be very careful with how you integrate this particular art style with the rest of your living room.

Keep these art styles in mind and you’ll be able to pick out the right one for the walls of your living room!

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home decor items at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Thank you Reyna and Arcadian Home Decor for this informative blog.

At The Trendy Home our goal is you make your home                                                                                                     

Cathy   XOXOX

In today’s market many home sellers are hiring professional “Stagers“  to assist them in selling their home.   By professionally staging your home you may increase the odds of attracting a qualified buyer.   Here are some tips and tricks that the pros use to sell your home quickly,  making it  look more inviting and the best value all in one.

Remove the Clutter.

Remove the clutter: Making your home look organized and de-cluttered is rule #1.    Having a clean and organized home from top to bottom is the number one golden rule of staging a home.   Your home must look inviting,   cleaner and less cluttered than ever before to meet today’s demands.   To get ready to sell your home one needs to have a yard sale or rent a space to move your “clutter”.  Remove seasonal clothing out of the closets (makes your home look like you have a lot of closet space),  move your Christmas Decorations out of the garage to a rental space. (Makes your garage look larger)

Spring Cleaning In August

Clean your home: Hire a professional to come in a clean your home,  it’s Spring Cleaning in August!   Top to Bottom;  move the furniture, wash the windows,  wash your window treatment, take down the screens and wash them.

Curb Appeal

Crank Up The Curb Appeal: It’s the first thing that prospective buyer sees when they come to look at your home!    Spruce it up!  Good home and yard maintenance is a must if you want someone to even think about purchasing your home.   Paint the front door, place fresh, colorful plants on the porch.   Step back and look at your home from the buyers perspective, not yours!

Walk Through and Inspect Each Room

Do a Walk-Though: Stand back and look at your home!  Stand in the doorway of each room and look at it as if you’d never seen it before.    Does it look too cluttered? Look up,  Look Down.   Does the ceiling need painted?  Does the baseboards need cleaning?  Ceiling fan blades need cleaning?   What can be removed to make the room look bigger?    What can you do to make the room look more inviting?   Is it warm and inviting, or too cold?   How the lighting?  No one likes a dark, drab home.  Open the drapes and let the light come through.

Upgrade your Bedding

Does your hardware need upgraded?  Switch plates need cleaned or replaced?  Wall paper coming loose?  Take it down and paint.   Kitchen cabinets need a uplift with new hardware?   Would the bathroom look newer and larger with a new vanity?    Replace the old floral bedspread with something more neutral to make the room look more inviting and sophisticated?   Visit The Trendy Bed for all your bedding needs.

First Impressions In The Home

Focus on First Impressions – In The Home: When a prospective buyer enters your home it’s usually by the Front Door, here’s your second chance to make that impression. (First was your curb appeal)     Apply fresh paint, replace worn out throw rug,  upgrade light fixture or upgrade light switches if needed.   Clean out that coat closet again so that it looks more spacious.   Would adding a mirror make the Foyer look larger?  Mirrors are a big trick decorators use to make a room look larger.    Are your silk flowers looking a little worn?  Remove and or Replace.    This is the place you want to WOW any prospective buyer coming in your home!   If your first impression didn’t measure up to their liking, here is your last chance to get their interest to make them want to look at your home.

Versatility

Versatility: The more versatile your home, the more buyers will be able to see themselves living there.  Turn your sewing room into a more general – use guest room with a desk, table, and room to sew.   (Hide away the project materials for now while getting your home ready to show)  Paint gender-specific rooms in more generic colors, and reduce the “kids rooms”  effect by storing large collections, posters, trophies, musical instruments, and personal items while you are trying to sell your home.

Visual Effects

The Visual Effects: What does your room say visually?   Dark walls can make your room look smaller,   creating logical conversational groupings make the room seem larger.   Professional stagers suggest that rugs stop a foot or two from walls.  A rug that is too big can visually “shrink” a room;  if it’s too small it just looks awkward.   If your dining room is modest in size, take the extra leaves out of your table and limit the chairs to four.

These are some great decorating tips and tricks to make your home seem larger and more inviting.  All of these tips and tricks are from Better Homes and Gardens – my best friend!

I hope I’ve given you some great ideas and inspired you to turn your home into…

Before we look at today’s mud room, lets look at the history of the Mud Room.   Farm and manor houses had a back room or porch where farmers would deposit their soiled clothes and boots and wash up at a pump before entering the main house.

Farm House Rear Mud Room

This is a perfect example of a farm house with the mud room attached to the back of the home.

In the late 1970′s, the laundry room moved up from the basement and the mud room/laundry room combination became the logical transition from the outside into the home.

Combination Mud Room/Laundry Room

The disadvantage to this arrangement was the obvious conflict between outside dirt and the need for cleanliness with the wash.  Today, the laundry rooms are usually separated from the mudroom and are built closer to the bedrooms.   This ideal has been well received by homeowners especially in two story or split-level  homes, or even in the larger single story home.

Family Mud Room

Ideally, today’s mudroom should serve as an entrance to the house from both the garage (if attached) and the rear of the house.   A well-designed mudroom serves as a great place for backpacks,  sports equipment,  purse,  car keys,  jackets, umbrella’s, brief cases,  boots, sneakers, beach bag, and more.

Mud Room and Family Pet

This keeps the clutter out of the kitchen and helps keep busy families better organized.  This is also a great place to hang a bulletin board with game schedules, or a chalk board to write short reminders to other family members.

Family Mud Room

Mudrooms can accommodate such things as hooks, hangers, storage cabinets, walk in closets, locker size cubbyholes, shoe racks, umbrella stand,  and built in desks.

Keeping Family Organized

Mudrooms may even serve as a dog kennel when the family is away from the home.

Better Homes and Garden Mub Room

The mudroom should be where the FAMILY entrance to the home is, not at your front door where you receive your guest.

Front Entrance

Where mudrooms are for the family and located at the back of the home, it’s a smart idea to have some accommodations at your front entrance as well.   This entry features a cozy recessed niche that offers a place for you or your guest to drop off a bag, purse, or briefcase and ample room for coats.

Mud Room Addition

If your entry space is in short supply and you’re tired of entry turmoil, consider a mudroom addition to accommodate your family’s needs.  Here an addition provides just enough space for a mudroom to serve a full house.  Hooks hold purses, coats, and hats while a storage bench conceals winter-weather accessories. Reliable tile flooring makes cleanup easy.

Let us help you turn your home…

Cathy C

A few specific tasks,  done only once or twice a year will freshen up your entire home, try these time saving tips to your own cleaning routine.

Do you clean your home every day?

If you don’t,  they say you really should….   I’m not saying “full cleaning”, but they say if you follow some of these tips when it comes to “spring cleaning” it’s only limited to t

Daily preventive tasks:      Keep your kitchen organized and clean,  wash dish’s daily or put them in the dishwasher if you have one, wipe down counters / surfaces after each meal with a damp rag.    Pick up the mess at the end of day;  newspapers on the sofa, coffee table,  TV clickers all around the room, empty drink glasses sitting around,  dessert dish’s sitting about.  Take 5 minuets and pick up the dirty dishes and put them in the sink to wash with the breakfast dishes,  pick up the newspapers,  pick up the babies toys,  and put the TV controllers at a designated location every night.  You’ll be surprised in time others will pick up on these tasks.

Make your bed each morning, I know some people say they don’t have time.  Have you ever timed how long it really takes to make a bed?   Really, I timed it and it took me about 54 seconds to pull up the sheets, place 2 shams on the bed, and 5 throw pillows,  that’s even with walking around a King size bed.   Making your bed daily really has both physical and mental positive effects to your day, and it teaches your children to keep “their” space clean.

Teaching your child good habits can be really easy,  at The Trendy Bed we carry  Inseparable sheets in 100% cotton, cotton blend, and flannel;  check them out at The Trendy Bed.com.

Bathrooms:  Try to keep your bathroom organized,  there should be a place for everything, hair brush’s in the drawer, hair dryer in drawer or rack, curling iron in drawer or holder.  Here is a picture of the holder/rack my husband made for me, I love it.   Home Depot little wooden table top, he cut it and drilled the holes in different sizes to fit 3 curling irons and 1 hair dryer.

If you keep up with the daily touch-ups,  your weekly cleaning can really get done in a few hours, and your spring cleaning is really just that!

Windows, Doors, Walls :  Wash your windows on a cloudy day, when you wash them on a hot sunny day the cleaning solution will dry too fast and you’ll have streaks.   Try this washing solution:   1/2 cup of sudsy ammonia,  one pint of rubbing alcohol, one teaspoon dishwashing liquid, and one gallon of water.     Tip:  Other than washing on a cloudy day,  to determine whether streaks are on the inside or outside, wipe with vertical strokes on one side of the window, horizontal on the other.

Scrub and vacuum sliding glass door tracks.   You’ll appreciate doing this once the outdoor entertaining season gets into full swing.   Tip:  Use an OLD toothbrush to loosen debris in the track, then using your vacuum hose to remove it debris and the finish with a wet rage or sponge.

Wipe down your baseboards, door frames and walls.     These can get overlooked during the year, but once a year give them some T.L.C.    Wash them with a sponge and a squirt of dishwashing liquid mixed in a bucket of warm water.   Tip:  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for spot-cleaning, good for those big boys, and little men fingerprints, scuffs, and even crayon marks I’ve been told.

Floors:  Deep clean your carpet and rugs.  Should be done every 12 to 18 months,   granted depends on the number of people living in your home, if you have pets or not, and where is your carpeting.   Mine is only in the bedrooms and the “formal” rooms in the home,  so once a year is perfect for me.     This is where you can have them professionally done, rent them from your local grocery store for a day or two, or invest in your own if you have pets.

This is the time to move the furniture and clean under and behind…   Tip:  If your range has a drawer, remove the drawer and vacuum underneath.     If you can slide out your appliances,  now’s a good time to clean under and behind those also.

Furniture, Fabric, Fixtures: If you are having your carpets professionally done, now’s a good time to also have them clean your upholstery.    Restore smooth leather with an upholstery/ leather cleaner and conditioner.

Window Treatment:   In all likelihood, your curtains and draperies aren’t dirty enough to launder.  To clean,  go over them thoroughly with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum.  I do this at home about every 3 months because I love to have my windows and doors open, helps to keep them looking fresh.  Tip:  To remove dust from sheer curtains, put them in the dryer on LOW with a fabric softener sheet, clean and smelling good also.

Dust your light fixtures, ceiling fans, and lightbulbs.   Using one of those microfiber or lint-free cloth to dust fixtures and bulbs you can reach.   For the ceiling fans you can skip the ladder and use an extendable duster, good to wipe those high light bulbs also.

Spring cleaning is one of those hate it and love it tasks…   Hate doing all the work, but we LOVE it when it’s all done.

Nothing better than a nice, clean home to make your home,  “The Trendy Home”…

It’s spring, which means flowers, rain, baseball, gardening,  Bar-B-Q’s,  desperate attempts to get in shape before swimsuit season,  skipping work to be outside before it gets unbearably hot…

Spring also means it’s time for home maintenance after a winter of neglect, and you are NOT alone on this one.   I have already started the “Honey Do” list of items for this weekend.

But lets be honest, our home is our biggest investment that “most” of us will ever make and we need to protect that investment.  Doing your seasonal maintenance duties will only help to ensure your investment, and help you give you that pride of ownership that we should feel about owning our home.

Spring and Winter are too season’s that one should really look at their home and make sure it’s ready for the climate change.

It’s time to open up those windows and let the sun shine in.    When I was a little girl it was a family affair, my father would get the ladder out and my older brother and Dad would take down all the storm windows for the winter.    My older sisters would wash the windows, and us “young ones” got to wash the screens all before my Father would put the clean screen back up over those nice clean windows.    Making it fun and most of the time we would all be soaked when we were done, but we would all be laughing and here I am talking about those memories 50 years later.

Taking the time to do some Spring maintenance on your home can ensure a summer full of fun.  Check your hoses, did the winter season make them brittle,  or freezing water split them at the seems, or do they just need new washers?

Maintaining your home’s weather-resistive properties is a simple but effective method of protecting your investment for years to come.  Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks.  Make repairs now before the spring and summer rains do more damage to the exposed wood.  Chalk it up to Caulking!

10 Home Maintenance Tips

Schedule an annual tune-up for your heating and cooling system.  Clean or change air filters and remove dust from around grills and ducts.  Outdoor air conditioner condensers need attention now, too.  Disconnect the power from the condenser and clear away any leaves and debris with a vent brush or power blower.  You can minimize problems with debris by wrapping fiberglass mesh around the condenser coil;  just be sure to regularly check and replace the mesh as needed.

If you have window air conditioning units, remove the covers and clean the filters.  Make sure they’re running properly before the hot weather arrives.

Remember, not all spring maintenance is outside!

Now’s  a good time to make your home  “The Trendy Home”!

Thanks,

Cathy

How do I clean my new comforter?

There are many different options available for caring for your comforter and accent pieces.  Proper care will guarantee the longevity of your bedding, keeping it looking and feeling as good as the day you bought it.

First, it is very important to always follow the proper “Care Instructions” for your product.  You can be certain that 95% of fine bedding will recommend dry cleaning the product.    Dry Cleaning your bedding may seem overwhelming,  can be somewhat expensive, but it truly is the only way to insure it’s longevity and protect your investment.

Dry cleaning is so highly recommended because the process itself is less invasive and generally easier on fabric fibers.  Why we ask?  This is because fluids used to clean fabrics do not contain water so they do not fully penetrate the fibers.  This helps to eliminate fading, discoloration and distortion.

Some 100% Cotton and Cotton Blend comforters are machine washable, they must be washed in an oversize washer, and I would highly suggest the new he (high efficiency) front load washers, why you ask?   They do not have that middle agitator that the comforter could get caught on and it is hard on the fibers.  These new washers usually carry an oversizes drum and this washing process is easier on the garments.   Before you try to wash your comforter your self, please make sure your washer can handle the load weight, if in doubt please have it dry cleaned professionally.    (These new washers can usually handle a twin or full comforter)  When in doubt, always check the manufacturer’s care instructions.

Of course prevention is the first and most important step in extending the life of your bedding.  Keeping your comforters and accessories out of direct sunlight will prevent uneven fading.  The longer you wait to have your bedding dry cleaned, the longer you give the stain the opportunity to set into the fibers and it may not come out even after professionally dry cleaning.  Try to stay on a schedule with your dry cleaning to prevent permanent damage to the comforter.

Some people have a summer, light weight comforter and a winter, heavier comforter for the cooler months.  When you change your comforter for the seasons this is the perfect time to have it cleaned “before” you pack it away for the season.   And remember,  following preventative measures will extend the life of your “Trendy Bedding”.

Visit The Trendy Bed, the once place for all your Trendy Bedding.

This is a picture of the New and Improved Stay Tidy Bed Skirt pins that I have come across – they work great!

We all know that some bed skirts can slide around while you’re in the process of changing your sheets or even making the bed.  These bed skirts pins stop that from happening.

How to install:   Slide your mattress over about 4 – 6 inches, make sure your bed skirt is where you want it;  the top, the bottom, the drop is right, etc… then looking at the drawing above, you place the pin about 2″ from the end of the mattress and push it in and twist your wrist to make the bend in the pin and your done.  The bend in the pin is what actually stops the pin from falling out.   At The Trendy Bed we carry these “Stay Tidy Bed Skirt” 12 pins in a package - that’s 4 pins for each side and the end.   Each package should do one bed.

These can also be used to hold your sheets in place, if you are one of those people that toss and turn during the night and you feel like every morning it’s like making your bed all over again, these could be your saving grace.  They will hold your sheets in place and the pins will not pull out if installed correctly.    To test this, install the pin and then pull on the sheet, if it does pull out, turn the pin around and install the “bend” the other way.  The angle of the pin should anchor the pin against the force of the pull in installed correctly.

Visit The Trendy Bed,  the one place for all your Trendy Bedding.

I am always looking for new items for The Trendy Bed and I came across these Incog-Neato  Decorative Leak proof Pads and what a GREAT idea.

INCOG-NEATO leak proof protectors are comfortable, yet durable.  Designer style bed protectors that were originally intended for use by children with bed wetting challenges.  (I don’t like the word “problems”)    These not only make the children feel special, they aren’t embarrassed by the look.   It looks just like a cool cover with quilting for extra comfort that kids love.

Incog-Neato Bed protectors soak up bed wetting accidents, so sheets stay dry.  Simply lay the bed protector over the bottom sheet.  When an “accident” happens, just take the Incog-Neato off the bed and toss it in the laundry.  Machine wash warm, delicate cycle, non-chlorine bleach only, and tumble dry low.

Here’s just some of the other uses for the Incog-Neato:

Bedding:  Protects against all kinds of bed accidents – babies, children, children when sick,  Moms-T0-Be, sick adults, invalids, dogs sleeping on the bed, and more.

Baby/Changing pad:  Mat protects any surface and protects child from environment.  Is designed to be folder up in three sections to fit in you diaper bag, large purse, or carry on luggage.

Furniture:  Protects fine furniture from spills and pets.

Cars:  Protects seats from wet bathing suits, spills, and pets.

Dog use:  Protect any surface and great for dog beds.

Boat use:  Protects cabin seats from web bathing suites.

Chair use:  Protects chairs and wheel chairs.

Whether your a new mom, experienced mom,  or Grandmother, I’m sure you can come up with more great ideas to use these Incog-Neato pads to secure all your Trendy Bedding!

Visit us at The Trendy Bed, the one place for all your Trendy Bedding!

All Cotton Mattress Pad

Mattress pads are a common bedding item, and The Trendy Bed just added this to their product line.

Why use a Mattress Pad?  The health benefits are numerous, if you suffer from allergies or asthma a mattress pad can help to reduce your symptoms.

They also protect your mattress from common hygiene related reasons, dirt and they can also add comfort to your bed.

Mattress pads smooth your sleeping surface and can add some cushion.  You could be surprised on how much better you will sleep and the increase in your daily energy level just by a good nights sleep.

Our mattress pads are machine washable which will make it easy to use and take care of.  Keeping your mattress clean and free of stains keeps it smelling fresh and helps to keep you healthier.

This cotton mattress pad is a great choice if you are looking to keep your mattress protected and free of dirt, grime, and stains.

Visit The Trendy Bed.com, the one site that truly specializes just on the BEDROOM!

Add Accents to your Space

With the longer days and colder nights, the arrival of autumn sparks the urge to nest and nurture.  Here are some tips to prepare your home, and yourself, for the season ahead.

1. Add Accents;   Spruce up your space with a few inexpensive additions that make a cheerful impact.
2. Bring Nature Indoors;   Put fresh flowers in the home, gather branches, berries, and leaves to add a lovely element to your home.
3. Clear The Air;   Replace your filter on your HVAC, add some indoor plants such as English ivy to help clear the air.
4. Pare Down and Pack Up;   Rather than stow all your summer gear, determine what might last another season ans what won’t.  Cut your clutter and your storage space.
5. Hang Mirrors;   Reflective surfaces get you more bang for your lighting buck, opening up the rooms of your home and expanding tight spaces.
6. Overhaul The Pantry and Kitchen;  Clean out your cupboards and fridge, using up what’s there, throwing out the old and expired stuff, and assessing what I need.
7. Revisit The Life List;  As we near the end of another calendar year, return to the bigger questions about what you’d most like to accomplish.  Jot down the goals, dreams, and ambitions that have been taking up the most mental real estate lately. Then plot steps to get there.
8. Stoke The Hearth;  One of the best ways to make your house feel homey has nothing to do with decor.  Start cooking again!  Nothing creates a cozy indoor atmosphere, especially when it’s cold out, then the smell of a home-cooked meal.
9. Get Grounded;  Before the hustle-bustle of the holidays, take some time to reconnect. It’s important to get back in touch with the ground beneath you.  Lie on your back and your eyes closed, listening to your breathe and feeling the earth support you and breathe.
10. Breathe Deep;  In response to cold, dry weather, the lungs begin to constrict.  To keep yours healthy and strong as cold and flue season approaches, draw in a deep breath for a count of 10, expanding your abdomen and then filling your lungs then exhale, squeezing out all the air you can.
11. Tap Your Inner Heat;  If you walk, walk more briskly;  if you lift weights, ass more reps to your session. If you do yoga, do more heat-building poses like plank and chair poses.
12. Reach Out;  As the days get shorter, keep stress and depression at bay by nourishing your network and putting vital friends and family support in place.  Make coffee dates, play dates, and even potluck dates to bring everyone together.

I found this article in Martha Stewart’s Body and Soul October issue and wanted to share with my friends and readers.    From The Trendy Bed, I wish you all a great Fall experience in and out of your home!