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Fast & Fun Tips for  Energizing Your Home and Creating
Its Unique Spirit

Face it: Your home is one of the very few spaces you and your family can count on to gain
comfort and escape from the everyday madness of the city streets. Whether you rent or
own, live in an apartment, condo, or three-story mansion, your home should be lively, soul-
freeing, and uniquely yours. Proper home surroundings can change the entire mood of
your home and the attitude of its occupants. So pay attention. Your home might benefit
from these great tips.


  • Children’s rooms are just that. Even if you’re the high-style, eclectic decorator, don’t
    be tempted to make your entire home look like a page from Architectural Digest.
    Children’s rooms – their bedrooms and playrooms – should be playful and kid-
    friendly, not boring and untouchable. So lose the chic vases and the framed
    Monets for now, and replace them with art that’s more likely to spark your child’s
    imagination and less likely to give you a heart attack if it ends up in a million
    pieces. You won’t have to sacrifice style. A good amount of charm, elegance, and
    sophistication can be found in today’s children’s room décor retailers.

  • Choosiness with lighting can be well worth it. For a bright and energetic area of
    your home, use a whiter, higher wattage light bulb. For low-key dining or romance,
    use soft, yellow light or candles. Candles are soulful, elegant, and inexpensive,
    and the aroma-therapy variety awakens your senses and helps you wind down.

  • Natural light is an important addition to any home. Find appropriate drapery
    tiebacks at the discount store, and introduce your home to the great outdoors. At
    least once a week, open a couple of windows for fresh air and a nice breeze.

  • A bouquet of freshly cut flowers will brighten your home and add balance. (Save
    your change each day for your flower fund).

  • Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on display. It's a healthy snack for the kids to eat and will
    add color and nourishment to your kitchen.

  • Take a lot of snapshots but never do anything with them? Invest in cute picture
    frames and display favorite photos of loved ones on end tables or breakfast bars.
    Take the time to replace the pictures monthly or bi-weekly. You'll enjoy it when your
    eyes scan across delightful pictures of the special people in your life.

  • Color is probably the single most important element in making your house a
    home. Don’t be afraid to experiment with boldly colored paint and/or accessories.
    Orange, red, and green can be our friends! Color draws heavily on our emotions
    and our sense of who we are. It awakens the spirit, makes a statement, and
    energizes the room.

  • Use hard-back books on coffee tables and shelves. They are thought-inspiring
    decor, and serve as great conversation pieces.

  • Keep a small candy jar on a center table or shelf (but out of the kids’ reach). Fill the
    jar with yummy, gourmet sweets wrapped in pretty papers.

  • If your house has a guest bath, accessorize it thoughtfully with items that will make
    your guests feel welcome, such as special guest towels and a basketful of
    toiletries. Try this one: Fill a novelty bubble-gum machine with colorful bath beads.
    Place a dish of pennies next to it so guests can help themselves.