A Complete Guide to Preparing Your Home for Your Wedding ~It's Wedding Season~

 While wedding venues are an extremely popular location to get married, many people are choosing to use their home for at least some of the festivities. Whether you decide to use your home for the wedding ceremony itself, as the reception location, or even simply as a place for out-of-town guests to stay, some preparation work is needed.

 Luckily, there are many low-cost ways you can prepare your home for your wedding day that take minimal planning and effort. Beasley & Henley Interior Design outlines a few below.

Don’t Forget Your Yard

  Even if you plan on having most of the events take place inside your home, decorating the outside of your house can really set the mood before guests even walk in the door. Country Living points out that outside decorations don’t have to be gigantic or cost lots of money. Just like inside your home, simple is usually better.

 You might want to look into building a trellis or pergola for the occasion. A well-constructed trellis and beautiful landscaping can make your special day even more unforgettable.

 Cleaning

 Before you can even think about putting up decorations, you need to clean your home. No matter how clean you usually keep your house, having wedding guests calls for some serious deep cleaning. Air vents should be vacuumed out, carpets should be cleaned, and curtains should be washed.

 Merry Maids notes that you should not forget to clean the inside of your cabinets and the top of your refrigerator. While these places are often overlooked, cleaning them is necessary to ensure a clean eating space for you and your guests. While completely cleaning your home might seem like a lot if your wedding day is fast approaching, it is possible to do it in as little as seven days. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, look into hiring a cleaning service to take some of the responsibilities off of your shoulders.

 Also get busy decluttering. This entails not just discarding, storing or donating items you don’t use or need – it means dealing with all the paperwork and receipts that’s been piling up in drawers and on your desk. One way to do this is digitizing your documents and using Adobe Acrobat to combine PDFs into one file. This easy-to-use PDF merger tool helps you organize your files and group categories together, a real godsend when it comes to retrieving files later as needed.

Keep the Decorations Simple

 When it comes to inside your home, remember to keep your decorations simple. Large and elaborate decorations can take away valuable floor space and might look out of place against your laid-back furnishings. Plus, keeping decorations simple also means that you will not be able to spend very long decorating your home, which frees up valuable space for you to relax and get other things done.

 If you’re out of ideas, A Practical Wedding has a number of cheap decorating tips for weddings. On top of keeping your decorations simple, it is important to focus on lighting as well. Getting a few extra lights for the inside of your home can brighten the whole space up and make it look more inviting. There is no need to buy whole new floor lamps or anything of that sort, however. Well-placed tea lights and string lights can go a long way.

Check for Repairs

 If you have been putting off making those small repairs to your home, now is the time to do it. While that broken bathroom door knob might not seem like a big deal now, it can easily throw off your whole theme and cause difficulties for your guests.

 You should also make sure that all your appliances and furnishings are functioning at 100 percent. That wobbly table leg might just break under the pressure of a large wedding gathering, and your refrigerator might not be able to make as much ice as you think.

 Weddings can be stressful, so don’t allow the added responsibility of decorating your home cause you even more frustration. Keep things simple and don’t forget that the small things, such as lighting and cleaning, can really go a long way.

Have you visited Beasley & Henley Interior Design’s website? It’s a great way to be inspired by home and commercial designs!

Tips On Selecting The Perfect Dining Room Chandelier

Good lighting gives your dining room a sense of interest, warmth, light, enhances color and enables great conversation. Adding the right light fixture can alter the mood in the most sophisticated way. Your chandelier can act as eye candy to the most discerning guest bringing a bit of fashion and merriment. A few key points in selecting the perfect light fixture to your dining room is to think of comfort and flexibility. You want the space to give you an opulent pleasure that compliments any meal relished. The dining room is a fantastic place to play with an unexpected chandelier design. If you are looking for a great conversation starter go ahead and be a little daring with your piece.One of the first things you should consider when selecting a fixture is the size. Choosing the wrong sized light fixture can seriously disrupt the design of the space. We recommend a happy medium between too small and too big. The chandelier should be harmonious with the scale of the space without overpowering it. Make sure the chandelier is one-half to three-quarters the width of your table. If you table is 40" wide and 60" long we recommend a 24" - 36" diameter  chandelier. For the right hanging height the bottom of the chandelier should be around 30" above the table. If your ceilings are taller than 8', than an additional 3" for every foot taller. This will ensure that you have the clearance to hang your chandelier, and that it won't either get lost in the room by being too small, or overwhelm the space.  Small dining tables are beautifully complemented by similarly delicate chandeliers. As a general rule avoid pairing round and square with rectangular fixtures. Rectangular tables can handle slightly wider fixtures as well.   The amount of light is very important. Consider the size of the room and how much natural light is coming in. When you walk into the room and gaze at the scintillating halo of unparalleled perfection, you want the chandelier to have the right amount of light. Keep in mind that lighting from a chandelier that beams directly onto a person from above is neither flattering or comfortable. Avoid high wattage bulbs and try adding shades to candelabra bulbs if you like. For most interiors, 2700K warm light LED bulbs should be sufficient. If you have a space with lots of crisp whites, blues and grays then consider 3000K.  A wall dimmer will also help you control the light and set a more flattering mood. Now the fun part begins!! It's time to start selecting your chandelier! Think about a light fixture that will complement the color palette and materials of the space. Because your chandelier should feel like an extension of the style of the particular room, think about the hues and materials that are in the room already. Do you lean towards a more neutral color palette, or are you a little more daring with colors. Are you comfortable mixing metals, which I am a big fan of? Do you want a crystal, metal or beaded chandelier? When it comes to style, are you a little more eclectic? You can choose to display a retro chandelier in a modern dining room if you are looking for a little more contrast and attention. Ultimately, be sure that the chandelier you pick is something you love and is a representative of your style while creating a beautiful balance in the space.Today's contemporary, modern and transitional styles offer an ever expanding array of fixture designs and here are a few of our favorites I would like to share with you.

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Unique Design Looks for Thanksgiving Hosts

Thanksgiving isn't just about the turkey — you have to decorate the house so that it's worthy of the bird. To make it extra special, you can coordinate your tablescape with the design of your kitchen or dining room, or choose a decorative theme that suits the guests gathered around your feast this year. Here are five ideas that could inspire your design this year.

Traditional: Warm Florals

A traditional design scheme typically incorporates warm colors — tans, reds, browns — as well as wood tones, rich fabrics and gold accents. If your home features these classic elements, you might consider accenting them with festive floral arrangements that bring out the colors of your walls, furniture and accessories.Even if you start with a store-bought arrangement, you can spruce it up with a few added pieces to make it your own. For instance, you could add sprigs of berry or a handful of mini pumpkins to your bouquet. To really amp up the appeal of your arrangement, add cool blue accents to bring out the traditional hues of your flowers and home. 

Bohemian: Earth-Inspired

On the opposite end of the spectrum from traditional, you'll find a bohemian-inspired Thanksgiving table. This design style is all about layering, whether that's in the literal sense or piling different patterns and colors into the same space. You can easily do the same with your Thanksgiving table.The trick to making it bohemian is to leave out anything that's distinctly autumnal or Thanksgiving-esque. Instead, let the colors inspire you before adding natural design elements. For example, you might tie warm yellow or orange napkins together with gemstone rings. They'll pile nicely onto Mediterranean-style patterned plates or monotone dishes.

Modern: Simple Shapes

Modern design is all about simplicity and elegance, so your Thanksgiving design shouldn’t be too busy. If you have a minimalist kitchen, highlight it with a monochromatic theme revolving around a neutral like white or tan. Your table should work in tandem with the sleek style you've already cultivated.This information isn't to say you shouldn't include autumnal design accents such as pumpkins. Just try painting them or choosing non-orange options that are a muted take on the classic — that's what your style is, after all. Finish the look with geometric serving accessories, plates and utensils. Bonus points for matching your cutlery with the metallic hardware you have in your kitchen already.   

Family-Friendly: Fun Reigns Supreme

Your feast's attendees might not all be grown-ups, so don't forget to consider little ones when you set the table and prepare for the day's activities.Younger kids simply won't be able to sit through more than a 10-minute meal, no matter how much good food there is on the table. Bursts of fun color, handmade decorations and activities like the classic handprint turkeys will all add family-friendly flair to your Thanksgiving look and keep everyone entertained. Plus, you can take a hint from your favorite restaurant, and provide all the kids with coloring books to help them get through dinner sitting down. 

Rustic: A Few Thanksgiving Touches Will Do

Finally, if your home has a rustic design scheme already, you're in luck — the look creates the perfect backdrop for a Thanksgiving feast. The place is already replete with warm colors, lived-in furniture, natural wood accents, antiques and flowers. All of it will go perfectly with your holiday table, so you won't have to do much to prepare. Your regular place settings will look great since they're already country enough. Just add cloth napkins and a few seasonal blooms or gourds and voila: Thanksgiving is served. 

Make It Yours

No matter your design style, you're sure to be able to piece together the perfect Thanksgiving design for your feast this year and beyond. After all, you already have the most important element of all — your loved ones, who will gather around the table and make it look perfect no matter what. Guest Blogger- Holly Welles believes in making the most of any space, no matter how cramped. You can subscribe to her own real estate and home décor blog, The Estate Update, for the latest tips in figuring out homeownership.

SPOOKY HOME DECORATING TIPS

Spooky Home Decorating TipsTrend experts say that the top Halloween theme this year will be 'industrial chic', which makes use of neutral tones and concrete. But whether you like to jump on the latest bandwagon or stay with your own style, decorating can be a challenge. For most people, the goal is to achieve the right balance between "scary" and "fun". To help you out, we've lined up some tips to level up your Halloween home decorating chops!Put a twist into your everyday items(Source: Pixabay)Life-sized skeletons and cobwebs amp up the creepiness factor, but they are also easy to overdo. Why not think of ways to put a scary twist on common household items? You can buy a few pairs of Halloween-themed utensils to replace your spoons and knives, or even decorate them yourself. As for the dining table, you can put a cheap white cloth and form blood spatter patterns by staining it with red food coloring. You can also check out Beasley and Henley’s previous post on Halloween dining table decor for other creative ideas.In the bedroom, create Halloween-themed lampshades by replacing the usual yellow light bulbs with creepy red ones. You can even do the same in your bathroom by carving out skull-shaped soap bars. The possibilities are endless!Work on a special centerpiece(Source: Pixabay)In the Yuletide season, the centerpiece is the Christmas tree. You can also do the same during Halloween, and have a big lantern as the focal point in your living room. Having a centerpiece can set the spooky mood in your entire house and make other decor stand out more.Add creative accent pieces(Source: Pixabay)The next step is to complement your centerpiece with accent items. But instead of sticking to the usual Halloween pumpkin, try hand-painted eyeballs or Kidspot's severed finger biscuits. These can be put in jars and placed in different parts of the house.Don’t forget your front porch/door(Source: Pixabay)Trick-or-treaters are more likely to visit your house if your front porch has inviting Halloween decorations. You can go for something crazy like witch hats that are suspended using nylon strings to make them "float", or perhaps a simple a spider garland on your gate. If you’re living in a condo, a Halloween-themed doormat can also do the job. Hanging Jason Vorhees’ mask from Halloween, or a print of Dracula's face, bat, or skull on your door is not a bad idea either.A couple of reminders though: Putting up decor can be trickier if you are living in a rented apartment or a co-op. A post by Yoreevo about co-op apartments indicates that these units have similarities with condos. Most co-ops and condos have some form of restriction on modifying your unit. Landlords Tips shares that while policies can vary from building to building, special clauses are usually added to lease contracts regarding painting, decorating, and other similar matters. It is best to check with the landlord, especially if you’ve been residing in the unit for a considerable amount of time just to find out if they will permit any modifications, no matter how minor they seem.Another important thing to consider is reusability. It is best to go for items that you can simply spice up and use next Halloween to save money. Lifestyle writer Sohia Bennett shared some ideas on recycling Halloween decor, which you may apply when preparing your pieces. And even if you don't have extra storage space after the holiday, you can sell or give your items away! Written By Guest Blogger-Marjorie RossiOutreach Executivewww(dot)letsgetwise(dot)com

Going Green at Home *4 Tips to Save Energy & Money*

We all have bills piling in each month. It does not matter who you are — when you have your own place, bills are bills.Whether you live in a smaller Denver apartment or you spend your days in a modern Winter Park luxury unit with an amazing interior design, each month, you’ll pay a ton of bills. Groceries. Rent. Transportation. Utilities. And more.In most cases, you have options. You can pick and choose which providers you use and this could save you a few dollars on individual bills. But utilities are less flexible, and that could be why utilities are one of Americans’ largest annual expenses, with the average household spending almost $5,000 on utilities, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  That said, you should always seek new options and work hard to save a few bucks where you can. Here are some tips to “go green” and save a few dollars while doing so.Update Your BulbsThis is one of the most common and best energy tips you’ll get. You’ve likely been hearing about the energy saving benefits of LED and CFL bulbs for years. But have you actually tried to make the switch yet? According to Energy Star, if we all just replaced one bulb with a qualified CFL, we’d save enough energy to light up 3 million homes for a year and more than $600 million in annual energy costs.That said, it’s true — CFL light bulbs cost a bit more than regular bulbs, but they use about 75% less of the energy and they’ll even last ten times as long. This is a no brainer.Watch Your WindowsWhen running the heat or air conditioning in your home or apartment, make sure all the windows and doors are closed as tightly as possible. It’s easy to forget that your small bedroom window was cracked open a bit, but when the air starts seeping out, the heater or air conditioner has to work much harder than it needs to. This causes unnecessary cash (and energy) to be spent.You can still have some amazing interior detailing done in your home while saving money on energy costs — nothing has to be sacrificed!  Smart ThermostatsYou might have heard about the innovative Nest Learning Thermostat. This product — basically just a little computer bolted to your wall and connected to your home Internet — will familiarize itself with your schedule and habits to adjust your house’s temperature to keep you comfortable while reducing unnecessary energy use. Simply put, this thermostat will absolutely save energy and money. The Nest device will automatically adjust to your specifications and you can also control it to function on “away” and “eco” modes to ensure that your home doesn’t get too hot or too cold while people are away and while people are at home.New Appliances?EnergyStar offers some amazing appliances that can help you save money on your utility bills. These appliances might cost a bit more upfront, but the long-term savings will make it well worth your initial spend. For example, EnergyStar clothes washers use 50 percent less energy than your standard washer and dryer. That’s hugely important over time.Creating an energy-efficient home utilizing smart interior design ideas can be a great way to reduce costs on your utility bills. The items used to furnish and decorate your home can also provide the finishing touches of energy-efficient design, which is something that we all hope to accomplish.All in all, money saving is important to everyone. Whether you have bad credit and are struggling to purchase a home; or you’re saving money for a down payment while renting an apartment, we all can benefit from saving a few dollars and becoming eco-friendlier in the process! Written By Guest Blogger- Sam Radbil with  https://www.abodo.com/

The Hottest Trends In Home Decor~ Summer 2018

From glamour to natural tones, this time Beasley & Henley presents to you the summer trends for 2018. Summer is the time to give your home a face lift and a leap into creating something beautiful. Last year we saw a lot of metallics, tropical prints and embracing your inner bohemian. This summer we are going to see ceiling that pop, ice-cream pastels, the perfect imperfect effects of Terrazzo and more! Long gone is the need for a space to feel thematic and matchy. You want rooms that have a variety of textures, prints and materials that work together and are cohesive. May the warmth of the summers rays bring a more carefree, eclectic and stylish home to all. Here are a few of our favorite home decor trends of Summer 2018!GEN Z YellowThis summer we say goodbye to millennial pink, there is a new hue in town. Let's take a moment and give a gracious bow to Gen Z Yellow. She's a little more carefree, outgoing and bold. She wants to be noticed in an effortless way. She's multifaceted and not afraid to tailor her shade to match ones personality.  You can achieve her glow with textiles, accessories, lighting or furniture. Gen Z Yellow can make a glowing appearance through a light fixture, flower arrangement, artwork, throw or as simple as bath towels.         TerrazzoTerrazzo may not be for everyone, but for those who just love the look of  mid-century styles, you will be ecstatic by its resurrection. This summer you will see it reworking into different colors and more creative applications. The perfectly imperfect terrazzo consists of materials such as granite, quartz, glass and marble. It's an undoubtedly bold look with a sea of versatility. If your not looking to replace your flooring or counter tops no worries. You can apply this pattern into a kitchen backsplash, wallpaper or home accessory.    Bone InlayBone inlay of one of this summer's hottest trends. It is a decorative technique that consists of inserting small pieces of bone, shell or ivory into a pattern. The variation gives every accessory and piece of furniture it's striking character. It can be the perfect conversational piece providing your home with design and interest. The intricate patterns create striking textural contrasts that we love to see in homes.    Decorative CeilingsCeilings that pop will be all the rage this summer! This are looking up in the world of ceiling designs and we are all in! We love the wow factor in a home and the 5th wall can be the way to achieve that!  Whether painted a bold hue, applied moldings, plaster work,  shiplap or exposed beams ceilings are as hot as a summers day on Miami Beach.   TextureTexture is such a big thing this summer. You will see furniture that has a more natural handmade feel such as rattan and wicker. Textiles with lots of embellishments will be irresistible to the touch.  From textural wall patterns to baskets texture is everything! Woven furniture, lighting and accessories offer a visual interest without being impactful in color. I feel texture makes a home warmer, lived in and welcoming.