The last leg of creating my new apartment home is setting up a home office. I cannot actually achieve this goal just yet because I lack the necessary space and home office furniture. The challenge in my one bedroom apartment is that to add a desk anywhere would simply take away from the themes of the other rooms that I’ve tried so hard to create and separate. The dining area is very contemporary with just three bar stools in place of a table and chairs. The living room is very romantic with big overstuffed furniture just cozy enough for two. I could add a small desk in my bedroom, but it’s already a hodge-podge of items I’ve collected over the years. In addition, I’ve always been told that the bedroom should be reserved for relaxation and sleep, so I don’t want it to double as a work space also. I have recently purchased a very nice printer/scanner/copier and I’ve spied a compact drop lid desk at a local furniture warehouse. I am trying to start my own independent contracting business, so I definitely need the home office. Where I can actually set things up is the challenge…
Creating Space for the Home Office
June 19th, 2009A Living Room to Live In
June 18th, 2009My lower extremities recently discovered a hidden luxury called the "chair and a half" and it is now one third of my new living room furniture that I simply cannot live without. I used to enjoy a traditional decorative look, as if setting up a model home, as my mother and grandmother’s Southern living rooms had always been displayed. When I moved into my own place, however, I discovered that I actually like to sit on my furniture and that life happens in that space we call the living room. I recently purchased a sectional sofa with matching ottoman and chair and a half. This living room furniture is so comfortable and inviting! It gives the room an automatic boost in creating romance because the big snuggly looking furniture would make anyone want to cuddle up and stay in for the night. The chair and a half has just enough room for two – check it out!
Practical & Stylish: The Bar Stool
June 17th, 2009I recently completed graduate school and upgraded from renting a room from a friend to my very own one bedroom apartment! While I am ecstatic to simply have a place that I can finally call my own, I was a bit disappointed at first about the very small space I have to work with. Upon browsing multiple furniture stores, I dismissed one item immediately: the dining room table. I am in love with the Bar Stool! As a single gal, my three bar stools serve me and the occasional guest just fine! They are contemporary in style, chocolate suede, and take up minimal space while making a good conversation piece. Practical, good-looking, low maintenance…what more could a girl ask for in furniture? There is so much to choose from – counter height, bar height, leather, suide, armless, you name it. Bar stool furniture designs range from what you might typically see in a sports bar to elegance you may seen in an expensive steak house. Check out any furniture store if you’re like me…big on style and taste, but low on cash and space!
A Bird Feeder For The Beginning Birder
May 22nd, 2008To some of us, there’s nothing more pleasant than to see our backyards populated by birds. They’re beautiful creatures and they make our garden come alive with their perpetual motion and ongoing dynamic activities.
If you want to attract birds to your garden and keep them coming back, bird feeders are one of the best ways to go about it.
If you are a beginner birder, finding the “right” birdhouse can be a challenge because there are thousands of bird houses available in the marketplace. However, if you’re just starting out, a hopper feeder is probably your best choice. They’re one of the most versatile feeders around.
Hopper feeders come in many styles but the main characteristic that they have in common is they are easy to fill. To fill a hopper feeder you simply open the top and pour the seed or millet. Hopper feeders come in various sizes, but even the smaller sizes are able to hold quite a bit of seed. The larger the feeder, the fewer trips you’ll have to make to refill it. Another nice feature of hopper feeders is that the well make ones can be easily taken apart for cleaning.
A common and constant problem with bird feeders is that they are very attractive to squirrels. Squirrels will often raid bird feeders as an easy source of food. Unfortunately for squirrels and other critters, however, bird feeder manufacturers are finally getting up to speed. You can now find hopper feeders with built-in squirrel defenses to keep squirrels at bay.
Another advantage of hopper feeders is their size. Many feeders have small feeding platforms that are too dainty or precarious for larger birds. Hopper feeders, however, accommodate birds of all sizes. And, if you purchase one with a generous feeding platform, it will allow many birds to feed at a time. This gives you the possibility of having many different bird species sharing your garden space.
On the other hand, if you’re afraid of the feeder being taken over by larger birds you may decide that you don’t want larger birds in your garden. In that case, one nice feature you should look for in a hopper feeder is weight sensitive perches. This lets you calibrate the feeder so that only birds of the size you desire will can the feeder.
Avoid buying a hopper feeder made out of plastic or cheap wood. Plastic feeders have a tendency to discolor, especially when exposed to the bright sun all day. They also tend to cloud up and become “grungy looking” over time. A well made wood feeder can be a beautiful addition to your yard and last for years. Feeders made of cheap wood will likely crack or split and need replacing within a couple of year.
A hopper feeder is one of the simplest and maintenance free feeders you can buy. The only simpler type of feeder is the platform feeder which, while inexpensive, leaves the bird seeds totally exposed to the weather and other critters.
Where to place your feeder? A hopper feeder can be placed almost anywhere in your garden. You can hang it from a tree in your yard or you can fix it on a pole. If you have multiple trees, you can hang your hopper feeder from a wire stretched between them. Wherever you place it, you can count on your bird feeder giving you many years of enjoyment.