Need Design Inspiration?

(Image courtesy of Tamar Scheckner)

If you’re like us, you can never get enough of exotic design ideas. Often when you’re creating an idea for a space it can be easy to be drawn into the comfortable - and usually playing it safe comes at the price of a visually stunning room.

If you’re a bit timid when it comes to the idea of “letting it all hang out,” with your interior design, there are still options to create an elegant, yet eye catching room. These easy principles, courtesy of renters.apartments.com, are inspired by French decor and will leave you saying oui. Don’t believe us? Keep reading to find out more.

Snow White.

The most common theme you’ll find in French design starts with white. This means a fresh and clean palette where you can artfully add in soft pastels to bring color. Walls are often white with white wainscoted detailing and crown molding. Plush white sofas are also a must. Don’t overwhelm a room with color, keep white the clear theme – the ultimate goal is a clean palette. To keep things from going too white and mod, the toiles and florals come in….

It’s a Toile World After All.

Nothing says French faster than a toile print. For anyone who loves whimsy, these are your dream fabrics. Fairy-tale-esque scenes are printed in repeat and can be used as curtains, throw blankets, pillows and more. If the farm scene isn’t your thing, try the Chinoiserie toile.

Pillows and Flowers and Armchairs - oh my!

French design is nothing short of sophisticated yet it simultaneously should invite you to step in and have a seat, a comfy seat that is! Why? Because they understand the power of decorative pillows. Pillows invite but also make statements. If white is your overarching palette, you need pillows to provide your pops of color and break up the monotony. The French are known for choosing quality fabrics so don’t cheat yourself here, a cheap pillow will look cheap. Williams Sonoma has top notch options.

Perusing Paris you’ll remark upon how many flower shops there are, this is because the French love to bring life into their homes and what better way to do so with flowers? Try it out for a month and I’m sure you’ll soon get addicted to this little indulgence, this joie de vivre.

Finally, the French armchair is a staple in any French home. Often called the Louis XV chair, these delicate but sturdy chairs anchor a room and add the final touch. These chairs come at a price however so shop around. You can easily find a great option at Restoration Hardware but you may save yourself some money by scouring antique shops first. Consider having the chair reupholstered to suit your taste. The chair seen here was refinished and reupholstered by Time Treasures Antiques & Restoration.

Bon, you have a great starting point for French-ifying your home, bonne chance! And s’il vous plaÎt, share your favorite French design tips as well!

Reach Your Goals

(Image courtesy of Kristian Niemi)

Let's face it - distractions happen. But you don't have to let them deter you from the goals that you've set for yourself!

If you're finding yourself getting pulled off track by day-to-day occurrences, you don't need to give up! Just follow these tips, courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com, to reach your goals in record time!

1. Focus on what you really want — and why

What is it you're trying to accomplish? Get very, very clear about exactly what it is you want to do. But then consider why you want to do it. If it's maintain a cleaner house, think about how that's because a cleaner house is healthier to live in. If it's to finally tackle a renovation, remind yourself that it's because those are changes that will help your life run smoother.

2. Clear out distractions

Be truthful about what the unhealthy distractions are contributing to you not achieving your home goals. Is it vegging out in front of the TV after work? Getting pulled into Pinterest when you should be mopping? Get strict about putting reasonable limitations on the things in your home that are distracting you from the things you really want to be accomplishing.

3. Break it down and organize

After identifying the goals you want to accomplish, why you want to do them and what distractions might be getting in the way, make a specific, mapped out plan. Write down each element to your goal and what you need to do to accomplish it (get detailed).

4. Start small / don't do it all at once

Take your list and tackle it one thing at a time. Some folks after getting to this point feel so revved up they try to tackle it all at once. But that's a sure-fire way to burn out.

5. Ask for help if you need

For many, it's not a distraction that's getting in the way of not accomplishing things, it's fear or ignorance on where to start. So if you need help, ask for it! Look online for the answers to whatever home project dilemma is plaguing you. Ask a trusted friend if they will wade in with you.

6. Tell everyone about it

Be accountable for the goals you're setting. State a goal on Facebook. Write your reasons for wanting to accomplish it on the message board in your entryway.

7. Reward, not punish

Perhaps the most important element on this list. Be KIND to yourself. Be understanding when you fall back into old habits. Don't punish yourself if you get distracted or miss a milestone task, but reward yourself (any way that you'd like) when you do get back on track to accomplishing your home goals.

How Do You Keep Your Tech Clean?

(Image courtesy of William Hook)

It should come as no surprise to anyone that technology has moved in, and it’s here to stay. For most of us, we can’t make it through a single day without coming into contact with some tech gadget or another - many of us carry around at least two or three at a time!

Regardless of how careful we are with our own devices, whenever we share borrow a cell phone to make a call, or a laptop to take a glance at our Facebook wall, we’re bound to notice how other people treat their devices. One blogger from apartmenttherapy.com took a moment to reflect on the kinds of behaviors that irritate him the most when it comes to electronice devices. Read on to see what he has to say:

My very first computer was a desktop my family and I shared. It was a Dell from the era of the Dell Dude, complete with a 25 pound monitor and a loud and hot tower which held the keys to Minesweeper and the world wide web. It was also my first and my last shared computer, because as a tech lover, I picked up a few tech pet peeves.

It may seem strange, but we all have unique habits when it comes to how we consume technology. For instance, there's nothing I hate finding on a computer more than:

• A messy desktop with no filing system in place at all
• Illogical file naming — especially when it comes to hard to find files
• Leaving millions of tabs open on the browser
• Loud notifications from email or chat clients
• A gross keyboard covered in dirt or dust

Do you have a list of pet peeves when it comes to technology? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Power Down To Power Up

(Image courtesy of Alex Schmitt)

We know you’re all busy. With an endless list of things to do and places to be, technology like cell phones and iPads keep us connected to everyone at all times. During the day being connected can make our work and social engagements easier, but at night it can mean the difference between a goodnight’s sleep and no sleep at all.

Instead of sacrificing your sleep, why not separate yourself from your cell phone? One blogger did just that - at night she began putting her phone away in order to get the optimal level of sleep. In this blog from apartmenttherapy.com she takes a look back at the last four months to document how her routine has changed. Keep reading to find out what she discovered:

About four weeks ago, I declared that I was going to stop keeping my iPhone at my side overnight. I'm happy to stay that I've stuck with the plan, and the results have been positive across the board.

First, thanks to everyone who expressed support for the idea. Telling you about the plan and knowing I wanted to report back were key in getting me to stick to it.

These days, my lonely little phone spends nights on the TV room coffee table, or on a particular window sill in a well trafficked hallway of my house. On the few nights where I've gone on autopilot and brought the phone into my bedroom, I've tucked it into the top drawer of my dresser so I won't be tempted to waste time looking at social media feeds before sleeping or when I first wake up. I've used my laptop from bed at night once or twice more than I would have before, but never for as long as I'd use my phone (which I'd attribute to the device's size).

While I expected to notice the change the most at night, the morning has been the biggest improvement. Using a dedicated alarm clock has actually helped me get up earlier. I'm hitting snooze less often; the alarm has only one, pretty annoying sound. But really, it's the peacefulness of letting my mind ease into wakefulness, rather than checking to see who's shared an interesting photo of flowers or dogs, that makes me happiest about reshaping my habits.

What do you think? Would you be able to unglue the phone from your hand to help your sleep schedule? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Tame Unlikely Color Combos

(Image courtesy of albastrica mititica)

As we’ve discussed before, the color of a room can greatly affect the energy and the mood of the room. The energy from red walls can make it difficult to fall asleep in your bedroom, while a calm blue color could make you sleepy in your home office. With all these Do’s and Don’ts it may seem like there are certain decorating risks that are just too high to take - and this can leave your creativity dwindling.

You don’t have to feel like these “mood colors” dictate your decorating choices - instead learn how to offset the mood certain colors inspire with a few decorating tricks. These tips courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com will walk you through how to decorate with any color combo that you want without the worry of throwing off your feung shui. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Black can make a room feel smaller, but black can also be cheerful and airy.
The rules for black:

• Ease in with shades of gray.
• Show a lot of floor.
• Keep other elements cheerful, feminine and bright.
• Balance black with white.

2. Red adds a lot of energy and passion, but red can be calming in the right space.
The rules for red:

• Use small doses.
• Try less saturated shades.
• Keep everything else white.

3. Blue makes a room more calming, but blue can also be energetic and lively.
The rules for blue:

• Go electric with accents.
• Choose a bright blue or turquoise.
• Keep everything else white.

4. Brown is a cozy and dull color, but brown can be bright and open.
The rules for brown:

• Use brightly colored accents.
• Let in tons of natural light.
• Keep the ceiling and trim white

10 Tips For A Better Night's Sleep

(Image courtesy of Christopher Raff)

Who doesn’t love that comfortable feeling you get at the end of a long day when your head finally hits the pillows? Drifting off to sleep comes naturally to most of us, but if there’s something stopping you from sleeping, it can cause stress and anxiety in no time.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, you don’t have to suffer. In order to get the most out of your time between the sheets, these tips, courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com, will have you sleeping like a log in no time. Keep reading to learn more:

1. Eat a Small Dinner - This is a huge deal and so easy. While a big meal before bed can keep your digestion working for hours, a small meal puts only a light demand on your body and allows it to rest much more fully. Sara and I actually have got it down to a large, fresh vegetable juice in the evening. That's all. You sleep better, AND you stay trim. :-)

2. Avoid Alcohol - While a great way to FALL asleep, all those fun drinks, like wine and beer, etc, will ruin a good nights' sleep by causing dehydration (among other things). They make me wake up in the middle of the night with a powerful, uncomfortable thirst, and I'm often very hot as well. And then there's that occasional hangover, which sucks. Want to sleep really well? Skip the fun drinks in the evening (we skip on weeknights).

3. Unwind Your Mind - Like your body, your mind can be over stimulated and make it hard to get a really good night's rest. When I have a stressful day at work I make an effort to not work or look at email after dinner. Computers and work stuff can really wind me up. Instead, I'll take a hot bath and read a book, both of which totally take my mind off the day.

4. Three Nights in a Row is the Magic Number - Sleep is cumulative, so don't expect a really good night's sleep on your first night. You need at least two nights and preferably three to get into a really good groove and bank some deep rest. We stick to these tips most Mondays through Thursdays and that's when it really gets good.

5. Exercise Helps - Being physically tired really contributes to a good night's sleep and that doesn't happen to most of us who work in offices these days - remember when you were a kid, ran around all day and collapsed at night? Having daily exercise as a part of your routine contributes strongly to your body relaxing at night.

6. Avoid Caffeine - Not having coffee or tea at night seems obvious, right? But as a chocolate lover, I've also learned to wean myself off of chocolate for dessert when I want a good night's sleep. In general, stimulants are NOT your friend when looking for a great night's sleep.

7. Unwind Your Body - I already recommended a hot bath for helping to unwind in the evening as the heat and water is very relaxing for the skin and muscles. If you don't have a bath or that much time, just having a shower and giving your body and hair a good scrub is excellently relaxing. Pair that with moisturizing any dry skin and jumping into fresh, clean sheets and you're golden.

8. Keep Bedtime & Rising Time Regular - Our mind and body organism thrives on comfortable, regular routine, and I find it much easier to fall asleep and wake happily when the times are consistent. Even if your evening time changes, try to keep your rising time consistent. This way your body always will know when to wake and you'll avoid that feeling of having gotten up "on the wrong side of the bed." I now barely need to set an alarm, because my body always wants to wake at 6am.

9. Drink Water - We all lose a lot of water while sleeping at night, so that keeping yourself well hydrated really helps your body to rest comfortably. If you have a night out and drink alcohol, a lot of water before bed really helps, but even on a "dry" night, keep your water intake up (but not too much so that you have to wake and pee!).

10. Light Matters, Noise Not So Much - Light is a much bigger disruptor of sleep than noise. Electric lights outside your window (or in your room) AND the sunrise will trigger waking mechanisms in the body, so keeping your windows well covered and eliminating any other ambient light is necessary to ensure a good rest.

How To Cook Without The Mess

(Image courtesy of icelight)

There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal. When you make dinner for yourself, you know exactly how to prepare your own dishes just the way you like. Though there are many plus sides to cooking for yourself, it can be an intimidating undertaking after a long day of work - who wants to commit to the work of cooking and then cleaning up the mess afterward?

Cleaning up after meal times doesn’t have to be the hassle you’re imagining. If you follow these quick tips courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com, you’ll be enjoying a home cooked meal -and relaxing afterward- in no time. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Make a plan before you start cooking.

Review your intended cooking project and refine — maybe you can reduce a complicated plan to one dish requiring a lot of work and two dishes that can be made ahead or are very simple. - abcornwell

Look for ways to combine ingredients without using more bowls or pans. For instance, in some recipes some vegetables have to be added before others because they need to cook longer. Instead of chopping everything and separating them into two bowls, I add the first batch of vegetables and let them cook while I chop the next batch. They go into the same bowl that had the first batch of vegetables and I don't need to pull out another one. - Pi.

For anything you have to hand-wash, pick tools that are easy to clean. My chef's knife is very easy to clean, but a garlic press is a PIA, so use the knife to prep garlic. My frying pan is easy to clean, but a Foreman grill, not so much. -Triptik

2. Start with a clean kitchen.

Tidy before you start. That means no clean dishes on the drying rack or dishwasher (gives the items you are going to "clean as you go" somewhere to be). No dirty dishes/cups in the sink. No snack foods hanging out on the counter. This can be an especially useful habit if you live with others who don't always return things to a put away state. - trish042

If you have a dishwasher, always put the clean dishes away before you start cooking! Rinsing and popping in the dishwasher-safe items takes even less time than washing them. - cuminafterall

I find it dispiriting to have to clean and then cook, so my motto is "leave the kitchen ready to cook". That means everything dried and put away, surfaces wiped, etc. Doesn't have to happen right at the end of cooking, but does need to happen well before the next round. - ellabee13

3. Prep your ingredients and tools before you start.

Mise en place. Measure out ingredients, peel and chop veggies (maybe not onions if you're not using them right away), crack eggs, etc. If they're going into the main dish at once, then put them in one big bowl. This seems like it would add dishes to clean but many of these bowls will need little more than a quick rinse off. - cloggiegirl

Mise en place does not necessarily refer to the arranging of ingredients into tiny bowls. It means being in a state of preparedness in the kitchen….In general, it's about cooking smart and in an organized manner. Preparing your ingredients and tools in advance can seriously mitigate your stress levels later on in the process.

- tara-christine

The best thing I did for improving my kitchen efficiency was investing in a large cutting board. I prep most ingredients on the same cutting board; every ingredient in its own section of the board. I leave the chopped veggies on the board until needed. - JessyJess

4. Clean as you go.

Anytime I'm waiting for a pot of water to boil (my electric cooktop takes FOREVER) or the oven to preheat, I'm prepping ingredients. Similarly, anytime I have something simmering on the stove or roasting in the oven, I'm cleaning the cutting boards, knives, graters, bowls etc. I used for food prep. -cuminafterall

Once I'm done chopping an ingredient I put the unused portion away. Same goes for a sauce, condiment, or other ingredient; measure/use and put away. -emcap

Take a large bowl or dish tub, fill it with hot, soapy water, and leave it in your sink (or on your counter, next to the sink, if you can afford the space). As you dirty smaller items, toss them into the water to soak. If you're putting things in the dishwasher later, you won't have to rinse each item first, and if you're hand-washing, you should have little to no scrubbing. - tonberryqueen

5. Use a garbage bowl to collect scraps.

For a garbage or compost bowl, I don't even use a bowl. I use whatever plastic bag I put the vegetables in from the grocery store and all the scraps go in there. Tie up the opening and drop it into the trash. - Pi.

Usually this is an extra tupperware container. As you accumulate compost scraps (or scraps + garbage if you don't compost), put them together and out of your way. Dumping the contents later on is much easier. - petworthy

6. Give the illusion of neatness.

Ten dirty dishes scattered everywhere looks terrible and overwhelming, but the same ten dishes stacked into a single stack is somehow immediately manageable and cope-with-able. - TeaTowelDame

No matter how crazed it is, no matter how stressed you are, rinse each dish/measuring spoon when you're done with it. It's so much easier to face a dirty kitchen if all the dirty dishes are rinsed and stacked in nice, neat piles. -try146

7. Make it fun!

Try to make cleaning fun — watch TV if you can, or listen to a podcast/audiobook/music. If you can create a set-up where cleaning actually gives you a little extra time to do something you enjoy, you will definitely mind it less.

- China Millman

I do the finishing-up while I listen to This American Life. My "dates with Ira" are always productive. - DD Lizzy

8. Ask for help.

This is the key to my system: I make my husband finish the clean up because he didn't do the cooking. Voila. Mess solved. - cmcinnyc

First of all, and I think most importantly — if I'm cooking for other people, I ask them to help with cleanup. Least they can do, especially if they live with you. Insist. Really. - mhays