Martin Cooper

Prep for summer fun with these outdoor entertaining tips. Image: Apex Pools We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.  ‘Tis the season to start moving your gatherings outdoors. As temperatures warm and the daylight hours lengthen, it becomes easier – and more fun – to host parties in your yard. Easier doesn’t necessarily mean easy , though. Hosting your friends al fresco comes with its fair share of challenges. The good news is that with a little preparation, an outdoor party can be extremely low-maintenance. Getting everyone together outside lends a relaxed air. Expectations are lower, the natural beauty of your yard does most of the decorating work and if things get really messy, a hose handles cleanup. Are you ready to take advantage of the summer season and move your next party into the fresh air? Here are five outdoor entertaining tips that will help you get started. Outdoor storage

While you want to be comfortable in your home, it’s possible to achieve this goal while also saving money. Making small adjustments that you will barely notice can result in significant savings. Keep reading to discover ways to save money on your electricity and water bills. Avalon Interiors Stop using your toilet as a wastebasket. “Every time you flush a facial tissue or other small bits of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted,” according to Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing . James also recommends that you refrain from using your garbage disposal so frequently. “In-sink ‘garburators’ require lots of water to operate properly,” he explains. “Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.” If you wash your dishes by hand, stop leaving the water running when you’re rinsing them. “If you have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water,” James says. “If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish ra

A laundry room can be just as inviting as any other room in your home. Image: Jodi Fleming Design We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.  The laundry room: At best, it’s an efficient space to complete your weekly chores. At worst, it’s cramped, ugly and disorganized. You may dread going to your laundry room, but with the right colors, materials and tools, you can make it organized and stylish. After you brighten it up, you might actually enjoy doing laundry. Take a look at these tips for sprucing up your laundry room with minimal effort. 1. Add shelving and storage “For a laundry room to function well, users need easy access to everyday items such as detergents,” says Carla Phillips , a Melbourne-based interior designer. “I recommend open shelving next to the washing machine to keep your detergents handy for everyday use.” She also recommends using large storage drawers to keep laundry

This behind the couch storage and charge station was made from leftover IKEA parts after we moved to another place. The core components are obviously IKEA, what I did add on top were some wheels and some plain white boards which serve as covers eventually. IKEA items used: GNEDBY BESTÅ UTRUSTA TYDA Other materials and tools: Wheels Wooden boards for cover Socket strip Cable passage How to make a behind the couch storage and charge station 1. Cut 3 equally long cover boards and 1 for the front panel. 2. Use a jigsaw to make a proper slot in order to place the cable passage. 3. Attach the wheels to the bottom side of the BESTÅs. 4. Bolt all components together. 5. Assemble the 3 top covers by using IKEA door hinges and push openers 6. Add the handle to the front panel 7. Plug in the socket strip 8. Enjoy ~ by BigBonsai You may also like these charging stations #1 Feed all your devices at one charging station Even though Stefan’s household is just two-p

Do you have an outdated piece of furniture, or simply a piece that no longer fits your decor? You may be tempted to replace the item; however, painting furniture is an easy (and inexpensive) way to give your pieces new life. Painted furniture can add a pop of color to a room – like a red lamp base or chair in an otherwise neutral color palette.  Painted furniture can also help everything blend in: for example, a new white headboard and white nightstands to fit a white bedroom. There are some considerations to keep in mind when painting your furniture — when done poorly, painted furniture risks looking tacky or amateurish. In the worst case scenario, painted furniture begins chipping and peeling shortly after the project is completed. So, why are some projects successful, while others are a disaster? We asked Selena Rivas-Alexander, a designer at K.R.E. Group in San Antonio, TX, to explain the what, why and how of painting furniture.   Before painting furniture, consider the design

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.  After our long-term love of neutral and sparkling-white kitchens, we’re all craving a bit more color. You don’t have to change everything about your beautiful kitchen just to add new colors to your palette. Adding colorful accents can be inexpensive, although you can also choose to have a bigger impact by increasing your budget. Before you start shopping, it’s important to narrow down your wish list for your new kitchen color palette. Gold accents warm up a white kitchen. Image: Designs by Craig Veenker Goals for updating your kitchen color palette There are a few different reasons you may want to update your kitchen color palette: Move beyond a monochromatic color scheme Lighten up a dark kitchen Add on-trend accessories to a dated kitchen Coordinate your kitchen colors with a recently decorated room Personalize your showroom-perfect kitch

Due to limited space in our girls’ bedroom, we wanted to get a toddler bunk bed. Only ones we could find were handmade and expensive! I always liked to make something, after seeing KURA hacks on IKEAhackers, the idea came! The KURA bed is ideal as the height was safe for our young girls and it was easy to amend. Our girls love to store their drinks, toys while in bed, so the idea of adding a BILLY bookcase as a shelf/ storage came too. All the items were second hand, found on Gumtree and eBay over less than half the price of new. We got everything for £150 (not including mattresses). Which was way better than over £500 for a handmade toddler bunk bed! I most like that the hack can be interrupted in many different ways, sizes, and colours! IKEA items used: 2 x KURA Beds 2 x BILLY Bookcases KURA reversible bed | IKEA.com Other materials and tools: Circular Saw Pencil Electric Drill Drill bits Sandpaper Sugar Soap Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax How to turn the KURA lo

One area of the home to come the furthest in terms of design over the years is the outdoor living space. These were once just spaces to place a patio furniture set and maybe a grill. But these days, people are including televisions, entire kitchens (including the kitchen sink) and dining areas fit for a restaurant. Many outdoor living spaces have fire pits that are works of art, and sometimes even full fireplaces. So if you’re ready to update your outdoor living space in a big way, take a look at the inspiring photos below. You might just find an idea for your next backyard remodel. Outdoor living spaces with a TV One of the key ways in which outdoor living spaces have evolved is the inclusion of technology right in the backyard. Thanks to the modern convenience of flat screens , it’s easier than ever to hang a television anywhere. There are several different ways to make a television work in an outdoor space, though it’s important to install them in enclosed spaces to guard them fro