2015’s Best Investment for Your Home or Business

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Barn Doors are hot architectural commodities in home and office style this year. It is a style trend that has started from a trickle to now a roar; and it does not look like it is a trend that will be going away any time soon. Barn doors are here to stay. Interesting fact though, most consumers pick a barn door after purchasing their sliding door hardware. Why?

The Style of Your Home

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It is the sliding door hardware that sets the tone for the style of the door. Don't think just because it is a barn door, that your home has to be county themed. Some doors are actually barn doors that have been repurposed, to facilitate a green style of living. Being a more eco conscience society has made the idea of salvaging barn doors a huge growth point. Other doors are not barn doors at all but large pieces of acrylic. In many situations, the doors are not used as doors but as space divider for a large room. Industrial, metallic hardware is used in lofts, high-end companies and studios to give it a modern, edgy feel. Contrariwise, to make a new addition to a home feel rustic or aged, adding distressed metal finished hardware might just do the trick.

Cost

from flickr 

A surprising fact is that the cost of the door hardware can actually be the most expensive part of your barn door project. While a barn door can be acquired from a scrap yard or a barn demo, barn door hardware can only be purchased through a dealer. Do a thorough search online of prices and styles to see what product is best for your. Chances are that once you find the hardware that fits your style, you will fall in love with it and won't be able to purchase anything else. Price ranges for hardware can be anywhere from $100 to $1000. Just keep in mind that having a high quality product is very important. It is an investment that is worth it.

Purpose

The sliding door hardware that supports your barn door is crucially important, not only for design purposes but for structural support. Although these doors are space savers, due to their sliding motion vs. a swinging out motion, their sizes are big and bigger. They are very heavy, which means the tracks that they run on have to be made out of high quality materials that attach securely to your walls. A great tracks provides you with an easy to open door that glides effortlessly opened and closed. Most individuals who decide to invest their time and money in purchasing a barn door for their home or business, view the door as a piece of artwork that brings value to their domicile. As you would a painting on display in a gallery, you want to ensure the safety and security of your barn door. Choosing a high quality track promotes that security.

Barn doors are an architectural trend that is only going to grow bigger throughout 2015. If you have been waiting for the perfect time to invest in a barn door project, the time is now. With the market growing and demand on the rise, prices will only be going up, salvaged doors will be harder to find, and the really unique doors will be fewer and farther between. Remember it is an investment into your home or business. It is a talking point, something memorable, and something that will make your space unique. It expresses part of who you are, making your space exceptional.

Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, wellness and interior design. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book or hitting the gym. 


10 Home Decor Tips to Sell Your Home

Mike offers ten tips to make it easier to sell your house on FabNest.

If you hired a home stager or an interior designer, what 10 Home Decor Tips to Sell Your Home would they suggest? What can you do to make your home stand out? Before you actually put your home up for sale, go to some open houses in your neighborhood. I suspect, after just a few visits to homes on the market, you’ll have some answers to your question.

Food & Wine America's Best Doughnuts

Voodoo Doughnut; Portland, OR

The brainchild of two local Portlandia types, this cult doughnut shop specializes in wacky flavors and unexpected toppings—from Froot Loops to bubble-gum dust. Its namesake doughnut is a chocolate-frosted yeast variety that's shaped like a voodoo doll, filled with raspberry jam and stabbed with a pretzel stake. voodoodoughnut.com..

How to Care for Your Mattress and Foundation

UPDATE:  Just published: a comprehensive article on "How to Pick A Mattress – A Step by Step Guide For Choosing The Perfect One" 

Your bed is likely the piece of furniture on which you spend the most time during a given week. Even if you only get an average of six hours of sleep per night, that still means you spend more time on your bed than working at a full-time job. Keeping that in mind, it should be clear why it’s so important to take good care of both your mattress and the box spring or bed frame.

Read on to get some easy-to-follow pointers.

Go By Instructions Provided by a Retailer or Manufacturer

You’re about to learn things that will apply to most mattresses and support structures regardless of brand. However, if you’re provided with special instructions when you purchase a mattress, those should take priority, especially if you’ve bought a variety that is made from a certain type of fabric or one that has a specific type of springs or foam inside.

Lightly Clean Your Bed Frame Every Month

No matter if your bed’s foundation is made of metal or wood, get into the habit of wiping dust off it every month. Not only should that be helpful if someone sleeping on it is prone to allergies, but dust and other residue can permanently tarnish the foundation if they stay on the surface for too long.

Simply take a damp cloth and wipe every part of the foundation’s surface you can reach. After you’ve done that, dry it thoroughly. Excess moisture can cause a metal frame to rust, and a wood frame to get warped.

When you make time and effort to maintain your bed frame, it can hold up well through years of use.

Turn and Flip Your Mattress

This tip is easily one that requires at least one other person to help you, but it’s important to rotate and flip your mattress regularly so it’ll wear evenly. We like to rotate from head to toe every 6 months and flip the mattress once a year.

Freshen Your Mattress

You should freshen your mattress at least once a year. Even if you wash your sheets regularly your mattress can become a bit stale over time. Mix a cup of baking soda with a few drops of lemon essential oil. Then put it in a sifter to sprinkle on the mattress’ surface. After about an hour, vacuum the baking soda up.

Cover Your Mattress

From dust mites to messy mishaps, it’s important to correctly protect your mattress by using a waterproof mattress protector. On top of the mattress cover you can use a comfy pad or topper so it doesn’t feel like you are sleeping on vinyl.

Avoid Eating and Drinking in Bed

Breakfast in bed is a nice treat every once in a while, and sometimes it’s necessary for people who are sick or injured, but in general, don’t become too comfortable with the idea of eating or drinking when you’re in bed.

Liquids are especially dangerous because they can quickly sink down into the fibers and become impossible to remove. Also, if you eat something that has a very strong aroma when you’re in bed, that odor can bind to the fabric and be very bothersome to sleepers with sensitive noses. If you need to spot-clean your mattress, do so with a mild upholstery shampoo, warm water and a sponge, then let the area air dry.

Don’t forget to air your pillows and wash your pillow covers monthly! Hopefully these sensible and easy care tips will help you rest easier at night knowing you’re being proactive about maintaining your mattress and its framework.

BIO: James works in construction and blogs in his free time at Homey Improvements. He also enjoys hiking, photography, and buying new gadgets. Follow him on Twitter @DIYfolks.

Design Trends for 2015 Part 2

From GulfNews comes Design Diary: Interior trends for 2015 from Dubai-based interior designer Pratyush Sarup. He lets us in on the world of interior design and advises "Live in style."



Colour is BIG
“No more beiges and browns,” says Nada Debs, the leading lady of Middle Eastern interior design as she lays down the colour charts. The links between fashion and interiors cannot be felt any strong than through colour and patterns. Pantone, the leader in colour trends has already pin-pointed the hottest colour for 2015 — the deep Marsala. Not surprisingly, the colour — very visible in blocks and print, across the red carpets of late 2014 — now seeps, as is customary, into interiors. Be bold and swathe an accent wall in this decadent shade or nod to the trend with statement furniture upholstered in the colour of the year. Accessories in metallic hues are sure to add depth to the colour, however you choose to play with it. According to Bullard, bursts of green will punctuate the rich wine colour for added drama. (This the first time I've read that Marsala is a "decadent shade."

Live openly
“In recent years, people have taken the idea of open-plan living to heart and this trend will continue to inform home renovators and designers” says Kelly Hoppen OBE . Homes as we knew them — built with lots of separate rooms that all had a specific purpose — have slowly given way to open-plan spaces. The shift that started with the open-plan kitchen is ideal for people who do not have much space to work. It has now become very fashionable to combine people’s living rooms and work spaces, getting rid of their studies altogether. Not a particular fan of fickle trends, Hoppen has particular affinity for this one as it genuinely changes how we perceive and enjoy spaces.

Light it up
“Focus on lighting design is becoming a very important aspect of the entire design language,” says Debs. Rightly so, for it’s usually illumination that has the power to make any space look warm or cold. Investing in motion-detecting LED lights and recessed LED strip lights would be a good place to start but a big lighting industry trend is to marry industrial materials with crafts and modern technology in a minimalistic manner. Luxe lighting companies like Preciosa and Lasvit are employing cutting edge LED technology to breathe life into their hand-crafted artisan glass chandeliers. Beirut based lighting company PSLAB has refined metal forging to create stunning, minimal light pieces.

The ‘70s
“I see a strong revival of the 1970s and 80s aesthetic,” says Hollywood designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. True to the era, lounging styles of that time are re-interpreted with deep upholstery in organic shapes, marble tables in geometric shapes. This trend also marks the return of brass, tin and metal as the go-to material for everything from bathroom fixtures to coffee tables, chandeliers, decorative accessories and even cutlery. Texture will be key to this revivalist trend and will be seen on everything from fabrics to rugs and wallpaper. The humble embossed tin tiles get an all-star make-over as the material of choice to clad walls, ceilings even flat surfaced furniture like bed head-boards. For a more subtle approach invest in fabric-backed wallpaper that echoes texture from nature such as silk and limestone.

Traditions revisited
“We will see traditional handicrafts reinvented in a modern, minimalist fashion,” says Debs, herself a strong voice for the movement. For 2015, expect to see traditional patterns, designs and even construction techniques updated. Not only does this trend revive flagging crafts, it gives the craftsmen recognition and incentive to continue on their path that the industrial revolution all but eroded. Bold features in crafts from the world over, will receive a refined flourish thanks to new-age detailing. Applied in a simplified, modern manner, regional design vocabularies will find universal appeal.

Understated Luxury
“I feel this New Year is bringing along a strong desire for authenticity,” emphasises the Paris design darling Stéphanie Coutas . With the upward looking stock markets, our love for luxury finishes is back but in a more sombre fashion. High gloss and crystal-decked surfaces are now matte. Instead of an entire piece making a bold statement, its noble materials such as brass, silver and mother of pearl in harmony with mass-produced man-made materials such as concrete and acrylic that are making a luxe statement. It’s now the finishing touches — the handles, the knobs, the trims and tiles — where you will find that luxurious flourish. The real worthy of luxury has moved from ostentatious, expensive labels to respect for craftsmanship and original pieces.

Pratyush Sarup edits the design site www.designcarrot.net. You can follow the site on twitter @DesignCarrot.

Design Trends For 2015 Part 1

The Texas magazine Design made Simple starts the New Year with some ideas.

Colors
Beautiful indigo blue is making a splash in home décor and works with many different design styles. Much of the color inspiration for 2015 is drawn from nature making designs feel comfortable and natural.

Floors
Look for a more relaxed outlook in carpets and area rugs with distressed and striated patterns. Hardwoods are getting more relaxed too with reclaimed looks. For vinyl, styles that look like wood are popular for 2015.

Cabinets
In cabinetry, convenience is the name of the game for 2015. Clever and functional tools make busy lives a little bit easier. There are also more open concept cabinets and shelving available that show off beautiful dishes and accessories.

Lighting
Beauty and function combine in 2015’s lighting trends. Outdoor lighting that accents architectural features is becoming more and more popular and will help highlight the beauty of a home’s exterior well into the night.