Day: March 4, 2011

Embarking on a home makeover project can be very exciting. Yet, you may find the process intimidating, both creatively and financially. In your mind, you see every detail right down to the important pieces, such as vases and frames, which make your house a home. But when you go to buy these items, they are either impossible to find or way out of your price range. Luckily the solution to your dilemma is easier than you think. With a little imagination you can easily create these customized furnishings yourself.

Putting out the welcome mat for guests means making sure visitors to your home can see the house, negotiate the walkways and feel welcomed by the light radiating from your home. During the winter months, you might need to update your outdoor and indoor lighting scheme to create a welcoming ambiance.

Colonoscopy. That simple word can make the bravest people cringe. Yet it’s a routine procedure that could help save the lives of the 150,000 men and women diagnosed with colon cancer in the U.S. each year.

Transforming the look of the home does not need to be a costly, complicated process. And with an increasing focus on sustainability, homeowners are more concerned with using durable products that will keep their beauty and functionality for years to come. Revamping your home with ceramic tile is a great way to establish a contemporary look that will last.

The secret to redoing a child’s room successfully and cost effectively is pretty much the same secret designers use to redo adult rooms on the cheap – paint, accessories, smart design touches and an understanding of what the room’s occupants already love. Parents poised to plunge into kids’ room renovations, have an extra advantage that adult room designers don’t have – the love all kids seem to share for certain cartoon characters.

Slim is “in” … and not just for people watching their weight. Flat screen TVs and the wall mounts that turn the TVs into decorator showpieces seem to grow sleeker and slimmer every year. And when it comes to viewing technology, thinner not only looks better, it has practical advantages, too.

Although spring and summer are typically the seasons we focus on home improvement projects, there’s no reason to put off projects or planning throughout colder months. If anything, it’s the perfect way to spend time while hibernating indoors. From winterizing windows to laying new flooring, there are plenty of ways to keep improving your home year round.

Renters face a perennial decorating dilemma: Do you personalize your apartment decor, knowing that when you move out the landlord will likely require you to put everything back the way it was? Or do you live with bare white walls, neutral-toned carpets and homogeneous decor?

Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue. While typically the refrain for most brides, this adage holds equally true for the top home decorating trends for the coming year.

Spring is a time of renewal with flowers and trees blooming, grass greening and warmer temperatures bringing us back to the outdoors. But before you can begin to truly enjoy the fresh air – there are many updates needed to help your patio areas recover from the harsh effects of old man winter. Luckily, with a few spring spruce-up projects, you can achieve a patio revival in only a weekend that’s simple, yet looks sensational.

“The most wonderful time of the year” is just around the corner. Soon the sights and sounds of the holiday season will fill your home and heart.

When the family gathers together for the Thanksgiving holiday, you want everyone to enjoy themselves and head home later with happy memories and smiles on their faces. But family gatherings, by their nature, can turn into emergency trips to the drug store for medical supplies, or worse, emergency calls to the E.R. or fire department.

With the advent of summer still several months away, the comfort of a hot bath or invigorating shower continues to be something to look forward to every day. However, the bathroom can be a frigid place, thanks to all of that impersonal chrome, porcelain and tile. But, it doesn’t have to be. It’s possible to warm up even the chilliest bathroom, even on the tightest of redecorating budgets.

Knowing fact from fiction can make the difference between misery and relief for millions of spring allergy sufferers.

Finishes are vital to protecting the beauty and performance of hardwood cabinetry, flooring and millwork. And while these will always be important considerations for today’s consumers, the health of their families and overall environmental health are important as well. So before you visit the local home center, contemplate the following “finishing facts.”

The diagnosis of diabetes – a condition that will likely require lifelong treatment – can be overwhelming. However, managing your diabetes may be made easier with a support system of family and friends to assist in deciphering medical information, treatments and designing a new diet.

What’s in store for home decorating in 2011? No matter what your taste, you’ll have no problem finding a hue in the 2011 forecast of popular paint colors to fit your lifestyle … and your tastes.

A new year is here and for many baby boomer women, that means getting back on track with their health and wellness – eating right, exercising and scheduling those overdue doctor’s appointments. However, a new survey reveals that boomer women may not be so quick to dial their doctor when it comes to issues with their personal health.

Whatever color you choose for your baby’s room, it should definitely be green – as in eco-friendly and healthful. It’s easy to find ideas for environmentally responsible nursery decor on the Internet. Here are a few ideas to consider

Resting, relaxing, recharging – that’s the name of the game when you are on vacation. But how often do you get the chance to explore and experience opportunities to improve your health and wellness? Perhaps it’s time to try a different type of vacation – one that can have a lasting effect on your personal well-being. Resorts offering wellness programs are one of the most recent trends in the travel industry that present an opportunity for true renewal during your getaway.

It’s almost time to celebrate the New Year and there are plenty of opportunities to have a good time – parties, dancing, drinking, eating delicious foods, etc. But don’t let the fun and frivolity cause you or any loved ones injury or property damage. Enjoy your New Year’s Eve events with these safety topics in mind.

Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers – claiming more lives each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined. Lung cancer is often difficult to detect in early stages, and even then, it can quickly spread to other areas of the body. Unfortunately, there are no widely accepted screening methods for early stage lung cancer, such as mammograms for breast cancer, and the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer.

Millions of Americans have rhinoplasty (a nose job) every year, and millions more think about it – but don’t do it because they fear a long recovery time or that they will be disappointed by the results. But new developments in plastic surgery not only shorten recovery times, they also allow potential patients to use online software to preview what their new noses could look like.

When you’re on a road trip or just heading off to work for the day, the last thing you want is car trouble that strands you on the side of the road.

Soon it will be time to clear snow off driveways and walkways. Before starting up the snow thrower this year, it’s important to follow proper safety procedures to prevent injury and review maintenance tips to keep your snow thrower in tip-top shape all winter.

Your halls are decked and the stockings have been hung, what now? If you’re one of the 6.3 million Americans set to travel this holiday season, you’re likely off to spend time with friends or family. Other families choose to host a crowd, drawing relatives in from across the country. Whatever your situation, odds are your season will present different issues from your daily life. Before you get in the car or open your doors, be sure to read these useful holiday safety tips.

Freshening and cleaning your house as warm weather approaches is as much a rite of spring as welcoming the first robin to arrive in your backyard. If you’re short on time, it’s possible to make your home look, feel and smell fresh for spring – even if you have to postpone in-depth cleaning.

Part of the excitement of travel is the thrill of the unexpected, never quite knowing what will happen. While most of the time that’s a good thing, every now and then, surprises can be less than enjoyable, especially if it involves getting sick or hurt while away from home. All it takes is a little foresight and effective planning to ensure that your trip – wherever you’re headed – is safe, fun and memorable in all the right ways.

For folks who love to help and care for people, nursing can be a gratifying career option. If you are considering starting your training to become a nurse, now is a great time to do so. Nursing careers are expected to expand at a faster-than-average rate, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted a 22 percent increase in job openings for registered nurses by 2018.

A rarely discussed medical condition afflicts roughly one in six Americans. Many incorrectly accept it as an inevitable part of aging. Overactive bladder (OAB) affects about 33 million Americans. Its symptoms, including frequent, sudden urges to urinate and wetting accidents, can worsen until individuals find their day-to-day activities compromised. Although treatable, OAB remains highly under-treated.