by Garth Epp
Creating a relaxing home is a nice idea to work towards, but without a clear idea of what the final result will be like, it is easy to waste time and money for no more gain than a cluttered house. If you're looking for tips on this topic, it's probably safe to assume that you're not happy with your home as a place for you to wind down or entertain in as it is now. The first step is to look at why that is. Sometimes you have too much happening, and you need to pack away or simply throw out the clutter that gets in the way of having a house that looks inviting to guests and to you too. In other cases, it might mean including tasteful indoor decorating elements, like plants, decorative vases, or indoor water fountains. It might also mean more ambitious projects like renovating to open up the interior of your house, building a rear deck and outdoor dining area, and landscaping the back and front gardens. The less ambitious additions need not be expensive, while the more ambitious ones can be considered both an investment in your own standard of living, and in the long-term value of your home.
Creating the comfortable home will depend on your architecture and what area you live in, but the basic ideas are pretty simple. Pick a consistent theme, and build on it. For example, in climates that experience warm weather or hot summers, winding down in a home that feels like the natural opposite of this is very soothing, like an oasis of calm in a desert. Lots of lush but low maintenance greenery, and running water complete the look in an otherwise artfully decorated house. Running water can be achieved with indoor water fountains in a number of forms, and you can use one or several of these depending on the look you're after, where you can place one, and how much you're willing to invest. Table top water fountains work well in living areas, on the kitchen counter, on the corner of bathroom sinks, or if you have an outdoor seating area, in the middle of the outdoor table. At the opposite end of the scale lies a water wall fountain, which consists of a natural looking vertical surface down which water continuously flows. This looks great in wide hallways, or as a centerpiece of a living room or family room.
If you're willing to go the extra mile, start thinking about how you can improve your home with relatively minor building modifications. With help from a few able friends, an outdoor decking area can be built in a weekend or two with good planning, without too much trouble. If your house is a bit cramped, this will easily allow you to enjoy outdoor meals when you have guests. An outdoor fountain or water feature can also enhance this experience, as can cascading ponds or pondless waterfalls as part of a landscaped garden. For inside older houses, you might find that you can enhance the kitchen and living room by removing a non load-bearing wall to create an open-plan living area.
If your home feels cluttered as it is now, try this simple exercise:
- 1. Imagine you had to move to a house across the street.
2. Walk through every passageway, making a note of every single item sitting on the floors as you go.
3. Do the same for the bedrooms, and a third time for the design and decorating elements, like wall color, lighting, paintings, table items, etc.
4. Rate each of the items, elements, and rooms according to how much you like them; A lot, a bit, or not at all.
5. Get rid of all the things in your house you don't like!
This can mean a number of things. For damaged, tacky, or worthless items, put them straight into the garbage or recycling, and get into the habit of discarding things you'll never use. It's been eighty years since the last depression, so hoarding all that - let's face it - junk, is hardly necessary in this day and age. For stuff that still has some value, it's time to fire up your web browser, and get into the world of online auctions and public message boards. You might pick up a hobby along the way, but more to the point, you'll be rid of something that doesn't belong in your house, and you'll have some money in your pocket to improve your home. With the most offensive clutter out of sight, it might become obvious that some of your furnishings or decorations belong in your house, but need to be moved to another room.
Finally, with a relatively clean slate to work from, work on the rooms themselves, repainting and maybe refurnishing the rooms that you don't feel comfortable with. Aim for clean, relaxing colors - whites or lighter shades, so the room is bright, welcoming, clean, and relaxing.
About the Author: Garth Epp is the publisher and editor of Premium Indoor Fountains.com, as web site based on educating people about the benefits of placing indoor water fountains in your home or office.
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