Modern Living

Modern Living

Home and real estate topics discussed in detail

What to Do When Unhappy With Your Home

Your home should be a place that represents you and your family, and that grows with you all over time. However, many people return home after a long day at work only to try and unwind in a place where they feel unhappy and whose décor makes them feel miserable and dissatisfied. Then, if this sounds like you, here are some of the top tips that you should follow if you are unhappy with your current home and its décor.

·                    Get a Kitchen Remodel

One of the rooms that are most commonly neglected when it comes to home renovation is the kitchen. However, your kitchen is usually one of the areas of your home that you spend the longest amount of time within while awake, especially on weekdays. Then, whether you know it or not, your kitchen could be the source of your unhappiness within your home. If that is the case, you should consider opting for a complete semi-custom kitchen remodel. This can be a great option for those who feel as if they want to start over with their home décor and who want to have control over the look of every aspect of their home.

·                    Get Inspiration

When you are unhappy with your home, you might only need to get a little more inspiration when it comes to your décor for you to be happy with it. Then, if you are desperate to renovate your home but have no idea where to start, you should consider looking at home renovation journals and magazines both online and in print. You might also try to visit your friend’s homes or go to showrooms. This will help you to get some idea of what you want your home to look like and can help you to create a starting point from which you can then begin your renovations.

·                    Consider Moving

However, if you believe that much more than the décor is making you unhappy with your home, or you believe that it is impossible to get your home to look exactly how you want it to, you should consider moving. Although moving may be the last resort for you, especially if you currently live within your family home, moving can be a great way to start afresh and have a clean slate on which to design your dream home. You should research the cost of this before you decide to move, though, with moving being associated with lots of different costs that you might not have previously thought about.

·                    Tidy Up

A less drastic measure to take when you are unhappy with your home, though, is to tidy it up. Tidying your home from top to bottom can help you to clean up much of the mess that may have been dampening your mood while giving you the opportunity to dispose of any ornaments or decorations which you no longer like or feel affection for. This can also make your home much more spacious.

3 Ways All Homeowners Can Prepare for a Potential Home Fire

If you own your own home, it’s important to know how to prevent, detect, and escape from potential home fires. Even if you think a fire in your house is an unlikely scenario, preparation is essential in order to avoid serious damage and potential loss of life and limb should a fire eventually occur. Preparation methods can range from home fire drills to detection tools and more – the most important part is to start getting ready today. Here are the top three ways you can prepare yourself, your loved ones, and your house for a potential fire.

1. Install Functioning Fire Detection Tools in Your Home

Having functioning tools to detect a fire in your house is a critical part of keeping your loved ones safe. In many cases, practicing effective fire detection and suppression NYC can help you escape in time and even minimize damage to the structure of the house. To that end, make sure you home is always equipped with working:

  • Heat detectors
  • Smoke detectors and alarms
  • Carbon monoxide detectors

2. Create a Practical Fire Escape Plan for Your Family

Having a family fire escape plan is another component of being well-prepared for fires. Make sure your plan is simple and effective, yet also practical. You may decide to:

  • Draw up a home floor plan with two or more possible escape routes
  • Designate a meeting place away from the home
  • Ensure all family members can access key channels of communication, such as cell phones or public phones

3. Practice Running Fire Drills at Home Once or More Per Year

Running one or more fire drills per year can also help prepare your loved ones to escape during a fire. You may want to write up a fire drill protocol and then practice several times until you have it memorized. Remember to:

  • Follow the stop, drop, and roll protocol
  • Escape from enclosed spaces quickly
  • Find multiple routes out of the house
  • Know when to call 911

Even if fires are a rare occurrence in your area, it’s crucial to be prepared and know how to prevent and detect home fires. Installing functioning tools such as smoke detectors, creating a practical escape plan for your family, and regularly practicing fire drills at home can all help you get ready for a potential fire in the house. As a homeowner, it’s important to start taking these fire preparedness steps today.

5 Beautiful Front Door Ideas For Small Cottages

“First impression is the best impression!”

A visitor’s first impression of your home will be your front door.

To amaze them, your cottage doors have to suit well with your exterior and interior design.

With so many front door designs and ideas prevailing in the market, it’s hard to select the ideal door for your house.

Choosing the right front door requires some research and serious consideration because it must be visually appealing and provide good protection for the cottage.

To help you choose the best front doors, we have listed the five best cottage door ideas that will deliver excellent protection and give an aesthetic look to your house.

Here are the five ideas that will help you amaze your guests and friends and create a strong impact:

1. Oak doors

Oak cottage doors are cost-effective, long-lasting, noise-canceling, and give a luxury look.

If you live in a busy street that is always filled with noise, then oak doors can be your perfect choice for your cottage.

No matter how you have decorated your home, oak doors are a fantastic option when it comes to style.

Plus, the oak doors suit all kinds of floorings and add a unique charm to your home.

You can enjoy the aesthetic look of the material that suits your interior and exterior design.

Due to the denseness of the material, a good oak door can trap the heat inside the house and exclude the coldness.

Oak doors also have the advantage of being durable and offering a long-term guarantee.

2. Antique doors

Some people love new designs. Whereas the others love retro or antique designs.

If you’re among them, you can go for antique doors.

The patina of the antique doors is not replicable with the modern doors. It adds charm and gives a rich class look to your cottage.

If you’re about to buy antique doors, the first thing you have to do is – take measurements of your front door and start to look for options.

Without measurements looking for an antique door is like searching for a pearl in a big sea.

Before purchasing an antique door, don’t forget to check for damages to avoid unnecessary hassles.

Anyhow, if you have an old original front door, then you can re-fabricate it with the professional’s help and then use it.

You can give it a fresh color and polish it.

With antique doors or old doors, you can be assured of longevity and quality, and your home and door will be full of rich character.

3. Dutch doors

Dutch doors are an excellent cottage front door idea.

These style doors were commonly used in Dutch-American houses in the early 1700s.

The door will be split at the center, where you can independently open the top and bottom of the door.

If you have pets and children, these doors are perfect for keeping them safe and secure.

By opening the top door, you can allow the natural light and fresh air to circulate inside your cottage, leaving your bottom door closed.

In this way, you can have lights and fresh air inside your home, restricting your pets and kids from getting out.

More Than that, the dutch doors are excellent for safety. If a person is at the door, you can have conversations or get things and then send them out without leaving him in.

These Dutch doors have a country charm that makes them unique and also gives a beautiful look from inside your house.

4. Oversized front doors

A large front door will add style aesthetics to your home.

Additionally, carrying big furniture into the home is much easier without any trouble.

Having an oversized door will give a grand entrance to your visitors and make them feel as if they’re entering inside a palace.

It increases comfort and relaxation for the visitors.

Additionally, it adds a luxury look to your home and enhances the aesthetics of the front yard.

You can have a double door opening that joins in the middle, or you can take a large pivot door and add lots of glazing around it.

5. Glass doors

A closed cottage will surround your hallway with darkness, where the beauty of your interior house remains hidden in the dark.

So, having glass doors will allow the natural light to enter your house, obviate the darkness of your hallway, and enable people to look at the interior beauty of your home.

You can use stained glass above and on the sides of your door or use glass doors.

But, to ensure safety, try to suit your front door with strong safety glass.

Using stained glass will give the inside and outside of the home an elegant burst of color.

There are plenty of ways you can place your glass in your entrance.

For a truly show-stopping entrance, incorporate your favorite color scheme or some of your own interests into your front door design.

Consider with your architect or suppliers to check out your glass door options.

Conclusion

The above given five ideas will surely help you find the best front doors for your cottage.

Consider your interior and exterior designs before selecting the perfect design for your door.

Paint bold colors to your doors to add character and grab the people’s attention.

Now, there are plenty of designs in the market. So, do your research considering various factors, size, shape, and exterior designs to make an ideal choice.