Home Decorating Trends in 2010

Trends on Decorating Your Home in 2010

Frugal Nursery Ideas

It seems there is a baby boom going on in the US, or at least in my circle of friends, so I decided to add this topic of nursery ideas to the list. Nursery’s can be anything you want and can get overwhelming at times. Take these few ideas into your next nursery or pass them along to a friend.

• For inexpensive and creative art, frame pictures from old children's books. A row of framed pages can be interactive for a child as he learns to read, as well as fill a large blank wall in a contemporary way. Design by RMSer 11051402. (www.hgtv.com)
• Use your kids' handprints and footprints to decorate. You'll both love it and you get to see those tiny hands later and marvel at how little they were. Besides on walls, you can use them on lampshades, furniture, even fabric for the curtains or such. Use a safe paint and just wash immediately afterwards. To fake the look of baby footprints, make a closed fist and stamp the side of your hand (by the pinkie) onto the surface, then use your pinkie to dot toe marks. Looks very realistic. (www.magicalchildhood.com)
• Install adjustable shelves and brackets within easy reach of adults so they are functional as well as decorative. Place folded clothes, baby blankets, and other necessities on every other shelf, and place stuffed animals and decorative items in between. You’ll gain much needed storage space while decorating your baby’s nursery at the same time.
  (http://www.doityourself.com/stry/nurserydecorate#ixzz0gTTTuNNN)

Bathroom Renovations

You can still go Green and have a spa like bathroom. Check out these tips for renovating your bath. Most people start with kitchens and baths for updating a home because it gets more value for the amount you spend when selling your home.

• Installing lower water usage appliances such as a low-flow toilet, aerators on the faucet and shower heads. (http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/eco-friendly-bathroom-6-ways-to-go-green/index.html)
• Flooring can warm up the room if you use wood. Look for wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council because it has been grown in a sustainable manner. Bamboo is a sustainable wood and is great for bathrooms because it stands up well in a moist climate. (http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/eco-luxurious-bathrooms/index.html)

Total Home Update Trends

This article from www.frontdoor.com sums up perfectly the top 10 projects to get more bang for your buck in today’s home selling world. Check out the list below.

(http://www.frontdoor.com/Home-Finance/Top-10-Home-Updates/54706)

1. Spruce up or replace your siding.
2. Add a deck.
3. Tweak your kitchen.
4. Repair or replace windows.
5. Overhaul your kitchen.
6. Strip the bathroom.
7. Find cash in the attic.
8. Earn bucks from the basement.
9. Add space to add value.
10. Add low-cost landscaping.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs vs. Traditional Light Bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs vs. Traditional Light Bulbs

What is the Real Value?

While listening to a webinar on Green Building Technologies by Keller Williams MAPS program we learned about all the different aspects of what Green really means when talking about homes. There are many different aspects to look at such as the way to orient a home, build a home or replace items in a home. There are different levels of expense and also ranges of savings.

One thing I thought was an instant correlation to savings is with the light bulb switch. We have all heard it, we have seen the free compact fluorescent light bulbs being given away, and we have all heard other say you save a lot....but really how much? Well here is a good break down I learned on the webinar. The compact fluorescent bulbs do use 75% less energy than traditional bulbs.

One Traditional light bulb (100 watt) costs about $0.35. (you will need 10 of these to last as long as the compact fluorescent bulb)

If you burn the Traditional bulb for 24/7 for 1 year it will cost around $87

So total cost $90.50

If you buy a new compact fluorescent bulb for about $8 it will last about 10 years. (not dimmers)

Run this bulb for 24/7 for 1 year and the cost is about $22 per year.

So a net of $30.

Savings will be around $90 - $30 = $70/year net!

Ok, so who is going to switch to new light bulb this week? I know I will be switching out more of mine in the near future. And yes they do have some light bulbs with a softer glow so it is not a harsh light in your family room or bedroom.