Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Everyone knows that birds enjoy seeds at feeders, but cleaning piles of seed shells out of the yard can be a little tedious. You can entice birds to visit your yard with other treats as well. Why not give them some variety by putting out a bit of fruit?

This minimalist apple bird feeder makes it easy to stick a sweet and healthy treat out for your feathered friends. I wonder if putting one of these in my front yard would keep the wildlife from eviscerating the fruit on my trees in the backyard? Probably not.

Made from bamboo, the bird feeder features three perches, a loop for hanging, and a skewer to secure an apple. It costs $25 at Uncommon Goods.

Apple Bird Feeder

As they say, privacy fences make for good neighbors. Plenty of materials can be used to divide your yard from your neighbor’s, and we’ve looked at quite a few: vinyl, straw bale, and bamboo. But how about concrete?

You might think concrete would make for an ugly residential fence (though maybe a good traffic noise barrier), but artists that specialize in working with this flexible material can make some pretty cool things.

This concrete fence, with its mountain range backdrop, was made by Seattle-based Artisan Finishes. Not only is it an effective privacy barrier, but it looks like it belongs with the area’s nearby Cascade Mountains.

Browse the company’s photo gallery for lots of other inspiring concrete ideas.

Your topiary designs that you worked so hard on perfecting can take a beating in the winter. You’re might even already be dreading spring, because you know how much work you have ahead of you. However, if you have the right type of tool, reshaping your shrubbery will be a piece of cake.

The Shrub Sculptor is conveniently designed to fit in your hand, so it’s about the size of a telephone handset. It has 4” stainless steel rotary blades, and it can cut through branches that are 1/4” thick. It can also mulch down these clippings, which can make perfect compost or extra mulch for your landscaping.

The receptacle holds 1.5 gallons of clippings, and the bag fits comfortably over your shoulder. In addition, the sculptor has a 7 1/4-volt motor as well as a rechargeable battery that lasts for 35 minutes of trimming. One downside is that it requires five hours of charge in order to trim for 35 minutes.

When it comes to cleaning, steam seems to be the way the market is going. So if you don’t have a steam cleaning system yet, you might want to get on the bandwagon.

The Eureka 313A2 Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer can clean and sanitize your floors without the use of harmful chemicals. Living a green lifestyle just got easier, didn’t it? This steamer has 6 1/2 amps of power as well as a light indicator that shows you when you’re out of water. You can adjust the height of the steamer, and it has a light weight design too.

The best part about this product is that it has a 12 1/2” cleaning head that does all of the work, and the pads are reusable. Now you don’t have to worry about having extra cleaning pads on hand, because you can just wash them and use them over again.

Does your garage door not look so good? If you’re holding off on repairs, you need a temporary solution so your garage door doesn’t look like an eyesore.

Style-Your-Garage.com has a variety of photo tarpaulins that you can use to improve the appearance of your garage door. You can even use these as seasonal decorations, because they have photos for winter and Christmas. The Ski Chalet tarpaulin shown below is so realistic it will seem like you live in snowy Colorado. The tarpaulin measures 87.7” H x 96.5” W.

Some other motifs you might want to check out include vehicles, gates, graffiti and animals. These scenes would compliment an outdoor party, or you can just pretend to own a plane, hot rod or fire engine. Just be careful that you don’t drive or walk through your garage, because looks can be deceiving with these photographs.

If you’d love to upgrade your shower, but you’re not down for an expensive bathroom remodel, then take a look into shower towers as a relatively easy-to-install option. Models such as Jacuzzi’s Ristorre Metallo shower can use your existing plumbing lines and drain.

Once installed, you can enjoy body jets massaging your sore and achy muscles. Other models can turn your ho hum shower cubicle into a steam shower. Some towers include extras such as flat-screen TVs (gotta catch up on the morning news while you’re shampooing your hair, right?), music systems, and other perks. On a simpler level, the Ristorre Metallo has a built-in mirror and glass shelf–nothing like getting a little extra storage as well as body jets. A hand shower on the side offers another convenience.

If you have a handy man (or woman) in the house, you can order online, do the installation yourself, and have an all-new shower experience by the end of the weekend. Expect to pay about $850 for this shower tower:

Jacuzzi Ristorre Metallo Shower

What does your dream backyard look like? Maybe you see a fabulous flower garden and luxurious benches for reading. If you want to make your backyard look more whimsical and nature-inspired, try adding a main feature that people won’t be able to miss.

This Butterfly Bench can provide a unique sitting area for you and your family. You literally sit in the wings of the butterfly, and the bench comes in three sizes: small, medium and large. The bench is made from steel and has a galvanized zine and epoxy finish.

If you have butterfly bushes and love butterflies, this is a great way to honor your favorite insect. Plus, everyone will be amazed at this artistic yet functional piece in your backyard. You can get a couple small benches and angle them around your garden, and they would look fabulous against sleek topiary designs.

Side tables are convenient to have in any room of your home, because they are simple and functional. If you have recently made an addition such as an enclosed patio or sitting room, furnish it quickly with a couple chairs and side tables.

This Twig Side Table has a nickel base and black granite top, which makes it look chic and modern. The three legs are designed to look like twigs from a tree, and there is a circular ring that connects them.

A simple table can even go great next to your bed as a night stand. If you have a more minimalist approach to decorating, tables without drawers are the best way to go. Then you and family members can’t shove a bunch of odds and ends into the side table drawers.

As your son grows up, it can become more challenging to design a room that doesn’t embarrass him. However, by incorporating some of the hobbies he enjoys into the room’s style, you can make it all come together in an age appropriate way.

This Aviator bedding set from Belmont Home Decor has a sophisticated look for a boy who is transitioning into manhood. The antique airplane motif is hand-painted on the pillows, but you can mix and match this pattern with the plaid, cable knit fabric and small-scale herringbone pattern.

You can choose from a duvet cover, button-tufted comforter, hand-tacked comforter, bedset, coverlet, skirt, bed pillows, footstools/ottomans, throws and trimmings. So you can incorporate the airplane motif as little or as much as you want depending on the age of your child.

When you walk into a furniture store, you don’t usually see a lot of metal couches. It’s just not the material that comes to mind when you think of comfortable seating options. Still, for those who dig innovative artisan furniture, The One from Baal Creations might strike a fancy.

The limited edition sofa is cast from cold-fused bronze. The dunlop foam-filled seat features a velvet covering, so the couch should be reasonably comfortable for sitting purposes. I’m not sure I’d want to lean back and clunk my head on the frame, but I’m admittedly the type to put practicality above artistry. A weakness, alas.

You can get more information on the sofa, or browse other artisan furnishings, at Nusa Furniture.

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