by Guest

When moving into a new home or redecorating a room in your existing home, the decorating can be a big job. In a new construction home, most often, the walls will be white or very neutral. Painting and new furniture pieces are staples when it comes to decorating and redecorating, but one of the biggest stumbling blocks that new home owners often come across is how to decorate the windows. Wrought iron curtain rods are a fantastic solution. Wrought iron is a nice neutral that will coordinate well with many decor styles and because it has that hand crafted appeal to it, they are a great way to warm up and complete any design.

There are so many varieties out there that you will need to narrow down your options, especially for your decorative curtain rods. Figure out the types of window treatments that you will just never be comfortable with and rule those out first. If you don’t have your room’s design completely nailed down, then try to pick out window treatments that will fit into many different types of decor. If you already have the crux of the design determined you can look for window treatments that fit the design. Either way, try to be flexible with your choices, window treatments can live through many design iterations, so look for something that can work with a variety of design aesthetics. Wrought Iron Curtain Rods are an extremely flexible window treatment.

Iron curtain rods will enhance almost any decorating style. They will not only complete your window treatments but they will add the finishing touch to your view. Wrought Iron Curtain Rods can be used in decorating with a modern flare, shabby chic or even the ultra minimalist style. Rod finials can also change the look of your entire room. A simple ball can be changed to an intricate scroll design, taking your room from simple to elegant in a short time frame.

The types of drapery that can be hung on wrought iron curtain rods are as varied as the iron curtain rods themselves. An inexpensive piece of fabric can be fixed up with an elegant curtain rod and make it look like you have paid a large amount of money for it. With the right decorative touches you can make your home feel like a place of comfort and peace. You can create an environment that you feel comfortable in. The little pieces, like your window treatments, will enhance how much you enjoy your home.

This article has been provided by Julia Ritzenthaler, owner and founder of several online boutique home furnishing stores including http://www.UniqueLightFixture.com/ visit or call 1-866-526-1843 for more information.

Attention Ottawa homeowners, here is the latest casting notice for a new home improvement television reality show ” All For Nothing?”:

CASTING NOTICE

Email questions & inquiries to lisa@mountainroad.ca
mountainroad.ca

HOMEOWNERS! We want to help you get your home market ready!

Are you planning on selling your home in the next 6 months? Is your home in need of some renovation and/or design improvements before it goes on the market? Do you have very little money to put towards these improvements? Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work yourself?

If you answered “YES!” to any of the above questions – apply today!

Ottawa-based Mountain Road Productions is in search of homeowners (couples & families) who are excited by creative solutions that don’t break the bank, and are happy to roll-up their sleeves and strap on a tool belt – even if they’ve never done it before!

If selected, we will provide you with the guidance of a savvy real estate agent and an expert designer. You may also be eligible to receive the commission-free services of an agent to sell your property!

You must be outgoing, energetic and fun!

Send the following to lisa@mountainroad.ca with subject heading ALL FOR NOTHING:

1. A photo of you & your family
2. Photos of your home
3. A letter explaining why you would like to be selected for this exciting new television show.

Applicants will be notified if selected to audition.

by Guest

‘Tis the season for SPRING CLEANING. Here are a few helpful hints for making your de-cluttering projects a breeze—and a few tips on how to keep your house organized after you’re finished:

1.    Find something that motivates you to get started (this is the hardest part). Sometimes upbeat music, or maybe some caffeine can help. Or perhaps you just need to look at your mess for motivation.  Whatever it is, it’s time to start!

2.    Start out small. Tackle one room at a time. Some prefer to start with areas that bother them most.  Maybe you prefer to start with the most cluttered area. Or the smallest room. Either way, start with one manageable space at a time.

3.    All of us hold on to items that are sentimental to us. Maybe it’s the T-Shirt you got while you were on vacation ten years ago, or maybe it’s a present an old friend gave you. Whatever the cherished items, find a small box to keep them in. Once that box is full, you’ll have to be selective and choose your favorites.

4.    Another reason that we hold on to certain items is the “what if” factor. “What if I need to wear this dress to a special occasion one day? What if the new toaster breaks down? I better keep the old one just in case.”  This can be ok to do in some cases, but put a time limit on it. If you haven’t worn something in a year, you probably won’t wear it again. If you must hang on to a spare item, give it six months. If you haven’t used it, get rid of it.

5.    As you root through the clutter in your home, there are going to be things that you need to keep.  The best way to make room for what you need to keep is to get rid of the things you don’t. However, that isn’t always possible. Find ways to organize the pieces you need. This can come in the way of a plastic tote for the closet or garage, or maybe a new shelf for the family room. Depending on your needs there are very fashionable, or very “storage-like” pieces at your disposal. You decide what’s best for your space.

6.    Clean as you go. As you are picking through the needed and unneeded items inside and outside of your home, it doesn’t hurt to bring along some cleaning supplies. You may as well be shining things up as you go. That way when your job is complete, you’ll feel like everything is clean through and through.

7.    Donate and discard your unwanted items right away.  The longer these items sit inside of your home, the more time you have to decide to hang on to them, or you may even begin to build clutter around these items.  Don’t give yourself a chance.  Get rid of everything as soon as possible.

Now that your de-cluttering process is complete, think about how your home became cluttered in the first place. Much of the time, the reason we have clutter in our homes, is because we don’t realize that it is there. It has been there so long that it starts to become part of the décor. Stop this pattern before it starts. When you get junk mail each day, throw away/recycle what you don’t need. If you see a pile of magazines stacking up. Throw out the ones you’ve read immediately. If you try on a shirt that no longer fits right, donate it. Don’t wait for the clutter to take over before you do something. Stop it before it starts. Happy Spring Cleaning!

Bellacor is a one-stop showroom that promises a new way to shop the entire lighting and home furnishings industry from the comfort of your home by providing superior personal service and access to the largest collection of lighting and home furnishings on the web. Bellacor offers access to over 500,000 products from 700 manufacturers.

by Guest

When it comes to your dream home, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While some may conjure up images of white picket fences, delicate Spanish arches, and superb crown molding; others envision giant pineapples and flying saucers. The following houses can be defined as many things, but there is something more than the absurdity of their appearance which binds them together. The brave souls who created these bizarre habitats have one thing in common—they chose to build outside the box.

The Fish House

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Located in Berkeley, California the fish house will make even the loyalest of mermaids long for a pair of legs. With round windows, fin shaped walls, and a mouth that opens into a garage, the fish house is the ideal place for the modern day Jonah. The house was built in 1991 by architect Eugene Tsui who prefers to model his homes after nature rather than boxes. Tsui believes that traditionally-built homes are a waste of labor and resources, whereas those that replicate nature reign supreme.

The Narrow House

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With its widest point stretching just six feet across, the “Narrow House” is not for the wide-hipped lass. Located in Madre de Deus, Brazil, owner Helenita Queiroz Grave Minho built this house alongside her husband, so they could rent it out for some extra cash. The house has two living rooms, three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Why so skinny? The only land Minho owned was a narrow alleyway, thus the couple opted to build a narrow house.

The Tire House

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In today’s economy the “Tire House” makes more sense than ever. With one too many cans on his hands and a whole lot of tires, designer Michael Shealy decided to make use of the two items and build an “earth-friendly” house. This carefully constructed heap of rubbish was built in Ridgeway, Colorado and features solar windows, stone floors, and walls made of compacted earth and plaster. While the house is made almost entirely from re-used materials, it’s also energy self-sufficient.

The Spaceship House

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Those who consider themselves “otherworldly” can appreciate the “Spaceship House.” Located off of Highway 127 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the house was built by C.W. King in 1970. King believed it would be “the house of the 21st century” and hoped that it would revolutionize the building industry. Whether or not it achieved either of these is questionable, but with retractable stairs as the only way to enter and exit it certainly made difficult for overnight visitors to slip quietly out the door in the morning.

The Pineapple House

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If you thought that Sponge Bob Square Pants was the first to call a pineapple his home, you’re wrong. In 1761, John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, asked an unknown architect to build a giant pineapple shaped pavilion as a birthday gift for his wife. If that isn’t love, what is? The pineapple served as a place to view the gardens of Dunmore Park. Those who wish to see this beauty must travel to Scotland where it can still be seen today in a village just north of Airth.

The Mushroom House

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Architect and professor Terry Brown built the “Mushroom House” for himself in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the help of university students the project took him from 1992 to 2006. Brown is known for his use of irregular shapes and tends to model his buildings after shapes found in nature. And all of this begs the question: did the architect dabble in ‘shrooms? The answer remains unknown.

The Winchester Mystery House

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The mystery of a woman who had more money than brains unfolds at the “Winchester Mansion.” After losing her daughter and husband, Sarah Winchester decided to seek advice from a medium. This wise individual told Sarah that there was a curse on her family and the only thing she could do to fight it was to buy a house and never stop building on it until the day she died. In 1884 Sarah bought a house in San Jose, California where she made numerous bizarre additions including: staircases that went nowhere, fireplaces with no flues, and rooms within rooms.

The Airplane House

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Some people just can’t get enough of that cramped, claustrophobic feeling you get when riding in an airplane for 17 hours. If you are one of these people you may want to consider living in one. In 1994 Joann Ussery purchased a salvaged airplane and had it moved to her lakeside lot in Benoit, Mississippi. Ussery did much of the renovation herself and claims she likes living in an airplane because of its durability and cost efficiency.

The Toilet House

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Thanks to Sim Jae-duck, people can now live in toilets. Jae-duck is a founding member of the World Toilet Association and in 2009 he built the world’s first toilet shaped house to mark the launch of his WTA. Located in Suwon, South Korea, the house offers a lovely opening in the roof, several bedrooms, and three deluxe toilets just waiting for you to take a seat.

The Eliphante House

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Artist Michael Kahn built the “Eliphante House” along with his wife Leda Livant. The couple built the house over a span of 28 years using found materials such as, rocks and items left at construction sites. The house was built in Cornville, Arizona and looks like a cross between a cave and a hobbit hole. Stop by and you’ll be greeted by Livant’s giant hippo creation guarding the house.

The Pod House

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The pod house may look like it belongs on another planet, but it’s actually modeled after the flower, Queen Anne’s Lace. The house was built by architect James H. Johnson in Powder Mills Park, New York and features several different pod structures that are linked together by interconnecting walkways, as well as a time tunnel bedazzled in mosaic tiles. Johnson continues to build new additions to the house, each of them being modeled after an element of nature.

The Pickle Barrel House

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There once was a man named William Donahey who created a cartoon called The Teenie Weenies. The Teenie Weenies lived in a pickle barrel beneath a rose bush, but Donahey felt it was time to bring this world to life, and in 1926, he created a life-size version of the pickle barrel for him and his wife to live in. The barrel was first built in Burt Township, Michigan by the architect Harold S. Cunliff, but was later moved to downtown Grand Marais. It is now a museum housing all of Donahey’s work.

The Steel House

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Who needs a man of steel when you can have a house made of steel? Architect Robert Bruno built his house completely out of steel (and glass for windows), which he started in 1973 and only recently finished in 2008. The monstrosity sits in Lubbock, Texas and consists of welded metal, and original and stained glass. As the sole person who worked on the house, Bruno was able to maintain the house’s originality and carry out the building in the organic process he is known for.

The Bubble House

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It seems living your life in a bubble isn’t so bad after all. Architect Antti Lovag designed the bubble house in Tourettes-sur-Loup, France for the fashion designer Pierre Cardin and the country was so impressed that it would later be deemed an historic monument. The house provides views of the sea along with a garden, waterfall, and stream, but most of all the house is known for it’s eccentric use of bubble-shaped windows and bright orange exterior.

The Stone House

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Tucked away in the Fafe Mountains of Portugal sits a house made of stone. The house is wedged between four enormous boulders, and with a cozy fireplace and a pool carved out of stone as, it makes being stuck between a rock and a hard place feel not so bad It was built as a vacation home in 1974, and to this day the architect remains a mystery.