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As we celebrate our independence season we heartily embrace the opportunity to use this time to celebrate our unique creole culture with colourful wear, the Wob Dwiyet or colourful outfits, dishes like Fig and Codfish and events like Market Day with A Difference.

It is also not unusual to dress up our homes or business places in the colourful fabric that is readily available during the independence season.

We not only showcase our culture with the bright and flamboyant colours that we wear during this time but we also bring to light the cheerful characteristics of our local people.

What we also do to celebrate our independence and culture is make changes to the clothing that we wear and our environment.  There is an array of natural items and fabric that are readily available for designing outfits and lighting up our buildings.  I won’t talk about outfits because this is something I believe is well taken care of by our people.  There is however quite a few small changes that we can make to our surroundings that will reflect our culture and make use of local items whether we choose to make them ourselves or purchase them from local vendors.

A simple change that can be made is to place a bowl filled with seasonal fruits like tangerine and oranges on the table in lieu of the vase of flowers.  This not only has to be a decoration but we can take the opportunity to share with a friend or customer.

An easy and cheap way of getting into the independence is to change up the curtains.  Put a bright colour curtain, one made in madras or even a simple white curtain with spots of madras or different colour cloth.  This can be done in just the main area of the building.

A bright coloured or madras coloured throw pillow can also be a cool way to spice up the living room, waiting room or other appropriate areas for the season.  Putting just one or two elements can change the whole feel of a room.

Decorate using items with natural themes.  The independence season is one of the times we tend to be more involved in local activities, enjoy local dishes and utilizing local items.

Let us show off our culture in our attire as well as our buildings.

Some simple changes can bring your kitchen into the modern era. Here’s how:-

Paint. You have heard it before, but the cheapest way to change a space for the better is a gallon or two of paint. If you stick to neutral colors, you can add accessories, art, or curtains in a striking color as an accent. Neutral colors are better if you are planning to sell.

Cabinets. There are four ways to change your cabinets on a budget:-

1. Change the look. If your cabinet bases are in reasonably good shape, paint the cabinets.

   2. The dark side. If you would rather not paint, consider staining the cabinets if the wood is in good shape. A dark stain in cherry or dark teak will update the look.
   But remember to clean and sand them before you stain/paint. The time spent preparing them will pay off in the professional look of the result.

2. Open them up. After you paint the cabinets, take the doors off the top cabinets entirely to give them an open look.
3. Add new hardware. Adding updated hardware can do wonders for the look of the kitchen. Brushed nickel or pewter knobs is a modern style can take decades off the style of your kitchen.
4. If the budget allows the ordinary doors can be replaced with glass cabinet doors.

Appliances. If your appliances are in good working order, you can update their look by painting them. If you are afraid to do it yourself, take them to an automobile paint shop and have them done. It is well worth the expense, which will be much less than new appliances.

Countertops. New countertops are available at most home improvement stores in standard sizes. They are precut and ready to install. And they are very cost effective, especially if you chose a color or style that is on sale or clearance.

Floor. The new styles of press and stick vinyl tiles look surprisingly high end. And they can be quickly installed. Try the new styles that look like slate – beautiful!

All of these ideas will cost you much less and will be faster than a standard remodel. And most can be done yourself – reducing the cost of labor. The resulting kitchen will enhance your home – and your bottom line!

For ages, homeowners with interior and exterior staircases have used balusters to guard the area from accidents, provide support to people who find it difficult to climb stairs and to enhance the beauty of the home.

Balusters come in various materials and styles. Traditionally, wooden balusters have been a popular option for interior staircases but they take a lot of time to construct since they involve the craftsmanship of the artist. They are preferred mainly by those who want to give their home the specific appeal and appreciate the craftsmanship of wood. Another drawback is that wooden material is bound to decay in a specific span of time and may get infested with termites, thus the buyer will be forced to get new ones, which is not the case with other materials.

Metal balusters are a result of commercial production where industries conveniently produce a good quantity of them. Thus metal balusters have gained so much acceptance and popularity that wooden balusters have been given a back seat. The level of strength and support that metal balusters can provide is much more than the wooden counterpart’s hence, people like to get them fixed in the house to get more sturdy railings.

There is also the option of combining these two materials to offer more texture and dimension in your design.

One of the more sophisticated types are the glass balusters that provide iron railings with a unique look. These have a metal body and the spaces in between have glass panels that can be coloured or transparent as the homeowner prefers.

Whichever material is used, perfectly designed balusters will enhance the appeal of a home.

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Many are not sure or do not know which it is. “Living room” and “drawing room” are two terms in the world of the home interiors that are often used synonymously. Most of the people tend to assume that living room and drawing room are two words with same meaning and can be used to address any common place used for gathering and socializing. However, this is not so. In true terms, living room and drawing room are two unique terms used to address different types of seating area.

A living room is relatively a new term in the home industry. This room is commonly addressed as the sitting room or lounge and is generally used by the house owner and his family members for relaxation, entertainment and recreation. The living room is a versatile room and is also used for other activities such as watching television, reading books, gossiping with family members, spending time with children, drinking, eating and many more casual activities.

On the other hand, a drawing room is an eighteenth century term that was earlier used by the British people. The room is mainly used for the entertainment of the visitors. This is the place where guests are made to sit down for a short period. The room is also used for seating the guests after they are through with the dinner. Therefore, conclusively it can be said that the main function of the living room is to provide the family members with a common place where members can flock together and have a fun and engaging time, whereas the function of a drawing room is to provide a room where guests can be entertained.

The drawing room is generally located near the entry door or the front door so that the guests are led directly into it. On the other hand, the living room is generally located in the inside portions of the house, mostly near the kitchen so that members can get snacks and drinks while they indulge in casual activities.

A typical living room is generally furnished with comfortable chairs, sofas, recliners, tables, lamps, fireplace, bookshelves, rugs, media devices such as television, music player, and home theatre and other decorative items such as piano, art work, etc. On the other hand, drawing room is mainly furnished with formal seating furniture such as chairs and sofas. The decoration is kept minimal and items having a functional use are introduced.

An outdoor kitchen boosts a home’s value. The outdoor kitchen is quickly becoming a growing trend for homeowners that want to maximize their outdoor space while making an investment in their home that would increase their home’s resale value. So consider moving your activities outdoors by creating a space that is perfect for entertaining and cooking.

• Having an outdoor kitchen offers homeowners the opportunity to prepare meals while being comfortably surrounded by family members and friends while still enjoying the outdoors. It is a great method for socializing and allows the person inside preparing the meals to not feel left-out while others are outside enjoying each other’s company.
• Preparing meals outdoors provides several benefits. It keeps the level of heat within the home at a minimum and makes cleaning up easier. An outdoor kitchen also decreases the traffic within the home during outdoor activities where meals are served.
• Most of all, outdoor kitchens are fun. It is enjoyable to be outdoors, to relax in a lounge chair, perhaps to watch somebody else do the cooking.

When designing an outdoor kitchen there a few tips to keep in mind:

• Choose low-maintenance materials that are designed to withstand the conditions of the outdoors. Keep in mind that high-quality stainless steel provides a sanitary surface that is both easy to clean and resistant to corrosion. Counters and other materials used for building should be highly resistant to grease stains and able to withstand high temperatures.
• The location of your outdoor kitchen is very important and depends on several factors. The kitchen will need to be oriented in such a way that wind does not blow smoke into the home. However, it would also need to be close enough to the inside kitchen so that you will not need to travel long distances to retrieve items that you need.
• When it comes to outdoor activities the weather can be a big issue. Having a pergola or any other form of covering will allow you to enjoy cooking outdoors, whether rain or shine.

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This new school year make some design changes to your child’s bedroom that will complement their enthusiasm and help keep them focused.

A dose of colour

The effects of color on learning are well documented.  Studies have shown that light blues and purples have a calming effect on learners and are a good choice for a learning environment.  Warm tones like taupe and peach provide a relaxing atmosphere that allows learners to focus on their studies rather than be distracted by their environment. Avoid bold colors, such as red, since they can provide a huge distraction, especially with younger learners. Black and brown are associated with fear and anxiety in young children and can bring about an undercurrent of anxiety. Yellow is the hardest color for the eye to break down and causes stress when the eye comes across it.

Get your child involved

Find out what your child is interested in and decorate his or her room accordingly. For instance, if your child has shown an interest in astronomy, decorate the room with posters of the planets, telescopes, and stars. Get the child fully involved in selecting these items.

Affirmation Signs

Place positive reinforcement signs around the bedroom that can remind your child’s subconscious mind of his or her potential to learn. You and your child can make these signs together.  Make the signs attractive with a lot of colour. Some examples of affirmation signs include:-

• I BELIEVE IN MYSELF.
• I AM UNIQUE AND VALUABLE.
• I AM RESPONSIBLE.
• I CAN LEARN.

Display their accomplishments

Whether it is an A plus paper or artwork, make a point to display your child’s work in their room and throughout the house.  Children need encouragement and support in their achievements.