Venia101's Profile

Also, I think real estate agents do not have to volunteer the information but if you ask, they have to answer honestly. At least that is what the agent told us when we were looking to buy.

Nice use of darker colors in a small space. A lot of people are afraid to do that. The dark grey/black on the walls with the contrast is fantastic. :) GL.

Accessories go a long way and so does the right furniture to hold all your stuff by the tv. :)
I would start by changing out the curtains and bedding to something less bland. Add some fun pillows with color?

Also, you could put a throw rug over the carpet for color but even more so, I would consider a wall tapestry or large piece of bold artwork.

Check flea markets, garage sales and craigslist for a dresser/side table/console to set the tv and table lamp, and hide the clutter.

I would also consider using daylight bulbs instead of regular because it will reduce the amount of yellow tones in the room and make it feel ...happier. LOL

Love the idea of the igloo from recycled milk jugs. Too cute and a creative way to teach children about recycling. :)

This rug is "Safavieh Soho SOH732 Rug" There is a yellow medallion version but the rug color is brown. You can see it here:
http://www.hsn.com/products/safavieh-soho-rug/10060804

If you search for "Handmade Soho Chrono" you might have better luck but I didn't look for very long on it.

Good luck!

Great idea. I think classes on self-sufficiency (sewing, cooking, organic gardening, canning, budgeting, etc.) should be a requirement to graduate. They not only set children up with basic knowledge of useful life skills but also teach math and science at the same time.

When I was in high school these classes were optional and they were all bundled together when really each one could extend a full semester and teach more about each subject and really have a benefit on the child's future.

We had this problem soon after an apartment complex was built in the field behind our home. The mice apparently needed a new home. It is never "just one" and they multiply very quickly. If you know of one, it most likely has a family of 6-10 more somewhere very close. This is something to act on NOW. We tried everything we could think of and I am happy to say we have been mouse free for many months (even through the winter)!

What finally worked for us was a combo of things at once. First - we went around with a flashlight to inspect the walls for any space they could possibly get in through and fixed them with either caulk, spray foam and steel wool around piping. This includes any space where you can see light through like a gap on the garage door, a dog door that doesn't seal properly, the pipes around the sink, etc. We also put new door sweeps on the bottom of doors that had gaps (the one that went into the garage for example).

Then we cleaned like we were crazy people. Pulled out all appliances, cleaned and disinfected the areas "just in case", pulled out every dish and ran it through the dishwasher with a high heat setting for sanitation, closets, corners, baseboards, under the bed, behind the toilet, remove clutter and boxes, you name it. Just to make sure ...because I'm a freak about those kind of things. LOL

We used peppermint essential oil (not extract) on cottonballs in the corner of all of our bottom kitchen cabinets. We also dabbed a vinegar/peppermint mix lightly here and there along the baseboards of all the rooms. The house smelled great! LOL Remember the critters do not have good sight so they prefer to follow the baseboards to get around. Those will be prime catching zones.

We baited snap traps with something unusual that seemed to work within minutes. I took a single piece of dog food (the hard kind) and soaked it in a little bit of water with vanilla extract and a dab of molasses. Then when the piece of dog food was squishy soggy ,I would smear a tiny bit on the trap. Set the trap along a baseboard where you suspect they are traveling (IE, near the stove). If you're unsure, put some flour or baby powder on the floor so you can see foot prints. This is SUPER messy but it does work if you can't identify where they are getting in.

It is important to realize that they come in for food. Make sure crumbs, bird seed, oils, etc. are always cleaned away. They visited us because we have a bird who likes to throw his food on the floor and there's always a few kernels hanging about. I bought a dyson vacuum which has superior pickup power to solve that - it gets every last spec off the floor.

I hope my terribly experience with them helps you solve your issue. Good luck. :)

You can find some of them at allposters:
http://www.allposters.com/-st/Book-Cover-Posters_c53672_.htm

So far I have not been enjoying the hundreds of bedroom posts for this contest but I have to admit that I really do enjoy this one. The aces, the little circles, the contrast of the floor. Very enjoyable and comfy. :)

You could use some decorative curtains (or sheets!) to separate/hide your bedroom.

Examples: http://www.ikeahackers.net/2007/03/curtain-room-divider.html
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-hang-curtains-across-an-829

Also, I would consider a table that folds flush to the wall and some stacking chairs instead of the bar. You could have it up when not in use and make your space look larger or fold down when you are using it.

A small love seat or chair facing the kitchen but close to the bedroom will help separate the space and give more seating. I'd also add two small bookshelfs (like the ikea cube style) on each side of the couch giving storage and they are short enough to place table lamps on to help light the place up.

(Like this but on it's side: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50103086/ )