One advantage to this room is windows – two extra-large ones provide plenty of light and add a sense of space to the small area. Smart design choices also make the room feel larger than it is.

The wood flooring with its natural lines running the width of the room stretches the space. The limited furniture with clean lines and the white color helps minimize their size. Blue and brown have become a classic pairing, and this room gains in sophistication by this choice. Every bit of brown – the accent color – matches and coordinates well with the window frames so that they also seem a natural part of the room’s design.

Notice that the two pieces of art are fairly large. Keeping the overall number of impressions small helps avoid the sense of clutter that can so easily develop in a room this size. The symmetry of pillows, nightstands and lamps also help.

The designer made a choice to have the curtain lines end before the baseboards start. It might have been better to take them to just above the floor. However, this room could not support curtains with a strong presence. These also need to be functional curtains with blackout lining. When you have a bedroom with large windows, light control is critical.

Good design decisions keep this small bedroom from feeling cramped. Instead the look is inviting and sophisticated –perfect for an urban home.

First, purge the closet of its contents. Donate things that haven’t been worn in years. Relegate family board games to the playroom, extra vacuums to the garage or the pantry.

Hang jackets on the rail but install shelves near the base to help organize items that are normally thrown or strewn all over the closet floor. Get a bin for each family member and become uber organized.

Use all of the vertical space in your hall closet. Add an extra set of shelves up high if you can.

Don’t forget to add a bin for Fido where you can store leashes and extra toys.

Add hooks to the inside of the closet door for hanging handbags and scarves.

Hang each family members coats together. This way it’s easier to find what you are looking for and it looks neat and organized.

Only keep seasonal items in the hall closet. You don’t need your winter parka easily accessible during hot summer months.

Truly, however, the best way to keep your hall closet looking good is to go through it a few times a year.  And also keep in mind that when you come home from a long day of work that you store items in their proper place right away. Hang your coat, and store your handbag, recycle your junk mail and put lunch containers immediately in the dishwasher. This will keep the build up of clutter from becoming unmanageable.

Store your fine china with care to protect it. Inserting felt rounds, paper plates, or basket coffee filters between stacked dishes can help prevent scratching.

Place rough mats outside your doors to prevent mud, snow and dirt from being tracked all over your floors.

Check your supply of firewood and replenish it often. It’s fun to keep the house warm and cozy.

Season your pots and pans. A properly seasoned cast-iron pan is non-stick!

Vacuum and rotate your mattress. Remember that you should do this each quarter!

Clean and reorganize your pantry. The pantry has a tendency to accumulate dirt, clutter and expired food items. Wipe down the shelves and reorganize.

By staying on top of monthly/quarterly household chores you can maintain a pristine home. And that’s just a good thing.

Think luxurious furnishings and soft lighting – a silk tufted headboard and mohair blankets.

Add a chandelier and candle sconces.

Drape fabric all over the room, or add layer after layer of ruffles.

Use bold colors and neutral bed linens for a dramatic and dreamy master bedroom.

You can use masculine furniture and soften it with feminine touches. Ruffles!!!!

Go classic – a four-poster bed with red accents.

By making your bedroom a romantic retreat you may be celebrating Valentine’s Day all year round. That’s a good thing!

Chandeliers are not just for the dining room. Look at this French themed room. Don’t you love the caramel apple-colored walls, tea-stained furniture, toile fabric and an ethereal-blue crib canopy?

The chair rail and crown molding make this room very modern. To keep up with baby clutter a closet organizer was added. If you are not finding out the sex of the baby, this is a good example of how to do a gender-neutral room.

Instead of designing a room for baby that will need to be updated, as baby gets older why not use colors and themes that will stand the test of time. Check out this preppy room.

Primary colored squares make this room another example of one that won’t need to be re-done. While painting squares can be time consuming, the effect is fun!

Themed rooms, if they are done well can be fabulous. Don’t you love the bamboo curtain rod in this room?

Best of luck on your bundle of joy.

Granite of course is the most popular choice for countertops. You can choose a highly polished style or honed for a matte look. Granite comes in a variety of shades like whites, blacks, corals and beige and no two pieces are exactly the same.

If you choose to go with another type of natural stone like marble, limestone or soapstone keep in mind that they are softer than granite and require delicate use and more maintenance.  All natural stone needs to be sealed periodically.

Engineered stone is another choice. Pricewise it is the same as granite however, it comes in a wider variety of colors and is easier to maintain.

Are you curious about concrete? It is available in several finishes, trowel, ground and pressed.  Be aware though that extreme or abrupt changes in temperature may cause concrete to warp, damp sponges left on the counter can cause discoloration and acidic spills may etch the surface. To keep a concrete countertop looking its best, it’s advisable to seal them four times a year and wax with a paste every two to three months.

Wood countertops, like butcher block, instantly warm up a kitchen. They are easy to clean and any scratches can be sanded out. Water damages butcher block quite easily, so wood countertops must be oiled frequently to seal the surface.

Can’t decide? Some designers are using two different surfaces, like butcher block for an island, and granite everywhere else.  Stop by our store and we can help you pick the perfect countertop for your lifestyle.

Animals are a wonderful addition to your life, but housebreaking is always a challenge to your floors. What you need is a personal puppy cleaning kit. Pick up some inexpensive shop or cleaning towels in white terrycloth. Warehouse and discount stores carry these in generous packages. Then fill a spray bottle with one (1) teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent to four (4) cups of water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! It will not clean any better at higher concentrations and will make it much harder to rinse out of your carpeting later.

Using your clean white dry towels, blot the spot to absorb as much of the liquid as you can, then spray the remains generously with your “puppy cleaning mix.” Once again, press on the spot – do not rub – with clean white towels. Continue until the mark is gone. Then use plain warm water to clean the area and press dry with more towels. You may need to rinse several times to completely remove the residue.

When you’re finished, you may want to spray on a vinegar solution of one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. This will remove the smell and help discourage Parker from thinking the carpet is a good place to do his business.

And don’t get discouraged. Once your puppy gets the idea, he will happily step outside, and your carpeting will be safe again. Once that day comes, you might want to hire professionals for an overall carpet cleaning to celebrate!

Here are the best ways to get rid of dust and dust mites in your home.

Use a damp cloth. This picks up the dust better than a dry one.

Don’t forget to dust the hard to reach places, like behind the furniture and crevices in the furniture. Use a small paintbrush to get in the nooks.

To reach behind heavy furniture you can use a synthetic duster with a long stick or you can even use a vacuum cleaner.

To take away the dust and cobwebs along the wall you can use a damp mop, or a brush.

Don’t forget to dust the chandeliers also. Give it a surface dusting once a week. Once a year you can take the chandelier down and clean it thoroughly.

Use the crevice and upholstery attachments on your vacuum cleaner to vacuum things like sofas.

Remember to clean your floors after your dust, otherwise all the dust you removed will just lay there.

Vacuum your mattress each week as millions of dust mites live there.

If you have lots of clutter then there is more to dust. Store your stuff in boxes, drawers or baskets.

A dryer sheet makes a great dust cloth.

Use allergen proof bed covers and encase your box spring in vinyl or plastic covers.

So dust away and get rid of all those pesky mites.

Understanding that challenge, at O’Krent’s we’ve put together a virtual room designer that does the imagining for you.

To begin, choose a room that compares best to whichever room in your home you want to update. Of you can upload a photo of the room itself. This family room shows flooring, walls and trim as well as furniture and accessories.

The flooring is wood, selected from a rich variety of options. The paint is a medium-light warm tone and the trim is lighter to add contrast and interest. It’s an inviting room, but what if you really want carpeting?

With a few mouse clicks, the same room now sports a warm sage green carpet with some texture, darker walls to make the space feel cozier, and light trim.

But wait – there’s more. Suppose you want to see how stone would look in the room before you make your final decision. Be daring, choose a slate in tones of gray, brown and blue.

Cool light-to-mid gray paint contrasts against a warm ivory trim, creating room that capitalizes on the interest a slate floor can provide. It’s maybe not quite as cozy as the carpeted room, but it has its own flair.

When you’re looking at possible flooring choices, we encourage you to experiment virtually with our virtual room designer rather than in the reality of your home. And as always, our team of talented designers and salespeople is there to help you make the best flooring selection for your home and your personal style.

Flip and turn your mattress. Check your mattress pad. January is known for its white sales so replace it if necessary. You’ll find a good sale.

Do a quick sweep of your home and compile a list of all those little but annoying chores. Do locks need to be oiled, bathtubs caulked, broken electrical plates that need to be replaced? Make a list, go to the home improvement store and knock it out.

Don’t forget what’s in your freezer. Defrost any leftovers and enjoy the bounty.

Check your trees. Look for any loose or broken branches that may need to be trimmed.

Clean one closet. You know how.

Call the utility company and ask for an energy audit. You’ll save money for the rest of the year.

Dust bust. Yes, you dust and vacuum each week but this time aim to get all your lampshades, picture frames and knickknacks.

Clean the dryer vent. This is a huge fire hazard. Make sure you do this at least twice a year.

That wasn’t so bad, was it? You’ll get all those small things done in a flash and you’ll feel so much better.