Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

In Japan, bamboo has been used as fencing for centuries, and this material has only recently become popular in the U.S. for flooring. This eco-friendly material has a serene presence, and it can be constructed into beautiful designs.

Bamboo has a natural color and texture that can be elegant yet simple enough to compliment any type of landscaping. Similar to wood and chain fencing, bamboo can bring privacy to your yard. However, this material is more environmentally friendly, and it can set a peaceful ambiance in your yard.

Bamboo fencing comes in either rolls or panels, and it can be constructed in the following ways:

• Misu is a screening fence with horizontal slats and vertical posts support the slats.
• Kenninji is a more classic style, which uses half-round rails and dark twine to close up gaps.
• Twig fence is a more casual look that looks like bundles of bamboo twigs.
• Yotsume is made up of horizontal rails, which are held up by pickets.
• Royanji is a short fence designed for gardens, and it’s made from narrow bamboo shoots.

Do you have loud neighbors or is your now 20-something child still living with you? These situations call for a room of your very own for quite, peace and relaxation. All you need to know is how to soundproof this special room.

What you need to be shopping for is 3 1/2 inch thick fiberglass or rock wool batts specifically made for sound proofing. These two materials are the best when it comes to absorbing sounds. Acoustic batts are made to fit in between studs, and they can be 14 1/2 or 22 1/2 inches thick and 3 1/2 inches wide. It’s important that these are installed tightly between the frames and around pipes.

For the highest quality sound proof room, it’s beneficial to thoroughly insulate the walls and ceiling, because a small portion that is left uninsulated will make a big difference that you will notice later. Some insulation manufacturers include CertainTeed, Johns Manville, Knauf Fiber Glass and Owens-Corning.

Need a peaceful and calming place to relieve your tension and worries? Create a meditation room or space within your home that you can go to when you think you can’t handle one more ounce of stress.

One way to make a relaxing space is to incorporate a zen garden. All this involves is a sectioned area or wooden foundation that you can fill up with sand and rocks. The zen garden below has different sections, which make it more interesting. For more ambiance, add some candles in the garden’s design too. The soft glow can get you in the mood to settle and center.

With a simple wooden rake, you can put interesting designs into the sand to mimic movement or symbolize water. Raking your garden might be a peaceful activity in itself. A zen garden like this would be a perfect addition to a small room that has windows as its focus.

Installing two dishwashers in the kitchen has become a popular trend in home design, and it’s not surprising. Having an extra dishwasher makes life more convenient. No longer do you have to put dirty dishes in the sink if the dishes in the washer are clean. Plus, if you’re busy working and running kids here and there, you can live out of the clean dishwasher and fill up the empty one. Who doesn’t need that leeway?

These two dishwashers are right next to each other, but there are other options. If you’re rebuilding your kitchen, consider putting a dishwasher on the right side of the sink and the other on the left side. This way you’re close to the cabinets and sink when you need put things away or rinse off the food from the plates.

If you have an extra sink in your island, maybe you will want the second dishwasher built in here. Double dishwashers are a great addition to your kitchen, and they can make your life easier.

There are many variations on creating a stone path, and you can create visually appealing stone designs without too much effort.

Thick paving stones require minimal preparation. All you need to do is dig away the grass, weeds and other plant material from the pathway. Then sprinkle sand or granite dust over the area. The last step is placing the stones in the desired areas and tapping them into the ground with a hammer.

If you want to use different types of rocks, create a path with slate stones, fieldstone and gravel. The fieldstone can create a substantial border. Then you can place the slate intermittently throughout the pathway and fill in the empty spaces with a pebble rich in Earth tones. This type of path is more permeable and will allow water to flow through better.

Brick can also compliment slate. If you have any extra brick from building your home, you can use it as a border for your path.

There is an actual home called Magnolia Cottage, which was built in 1928 and started out as a 900 square foot home but is now 1,500 feet. One particular room of the cottage, which was featured in Vintage Cottages written by Molly Hyde English, is the living room.

When you think of magnolia trees, white, pink and brown come to mind, which you can tell was the main inspiration for the living room. A dark wood coffee table grounds the room and two white love seats frame it. Although the fireplace and frames on the door and windows are white, there is enough contrast with dark and light to make it work.

For instance, the pink and white flowered pillows, dark wood side table, sea foam green walls and other knickknacks bring color into the room without being too overwhelming. Large starfish and shells decorate the fireplaces and vases of white tulips and roses give the room an earthy yet elegant feel. This room is definitely setup to be a relaxing retreat fit for reading, napping or conversation.

What would make your driveway special? The materials that are available can make your driveway functional and attractive. Regardless of what material you choose, you can also install a snowmelt system, which consists of installing tubes under your driveway. Heated water is then pumped through the tubes, which in turn heats up the driveway and melts away the snow. How is that for a functional driveway?

Common materials used to build driveways include brick, flagstone, cobblestone, interlocking pavers, concrete, asphalt and stone gravel. Although stone is economical, you will need to control the weeds and add gravel on a yearly basis. Asphalt is another less expensive choice, and it has less maintenance too. A sealer coat needs to be applied to asphalt every two to three years.

Although concrete seems like a plain option, it can be decorated with color and patterns. Interlocking pavers fit together and form a pattern, and some manufacturers offer a warranty. The most expensive materials are brick, flagstone and cobblestone, but they are durable and require occasional maintenance.

When you’re working with existing spaces and don’t want to do more building, you have to work with the current design. Although you might have to adjust your plans, you can achieve some interesting spaces.

Creating a library for less money and hassle is possible if you install bookshelves. The shelves will need to line the walls of a room from floor to ceiling. To avoid staining, painting or varnishing, choose melamine shelves, which are just as sturdy.

If you have a pool table in your basement but no sitting area, create a built-in bench seat into a small alcove in the wall. Although there will not be a window, you can hang a mirror on the wall to mimic one. This is convenient when you have guests over so people who don’t want to play can sit and watch.

When you need to expand the rooms in your home, look to the garage for a solution. New flooring, windows and a touch of paint can convert your garage into an attractive sitting area or the type of room you desire.

Do you enjoy making flower arrangements, rubber stamping, card crafting, framing or scrapbooking? All of these activities involve a lot of small materials, which can easily become disorganized and cluttered. Instead of keeping your craft projects in different areas of your home, turn a corner of your sitting room into a crafty corner.

You will need a sturdy table or desk where you can do all of your cutting, measuring, gluing, etc. Also, comfortable, low-armed chairs make hands on tasks easier (you can find old stools at garage sales). For quality lighting, hang a task light from the ceiling.

Once your work area is in place, then you can start arranging your materials. If you found a desk, take advantage of the drawers. Or you can install shelving directly above it. Here is where you can place woven baskets with your equipment and materials. Make sure to label the baskets or boxes on the outside, so you can quickly find what you’re after.

How do you know what you want to change in your home if you don’t know what you need to work on? Instead of guessing what improvements need to be made to create a more eco-friendly home, hire an environmental consultant.

A professional consultant can help you save more money in the process and give you tips on how to alter aspects of your home with the least amount of reconstruction. This individual can provide you with a plan of action that is beneficial and cost-effective.

Creating a greener home can save you money on your electric and water bills, but when you have an idea of how much your carbon footprint can be reduced, you have even more of a reason to build green.

Transitioning your home can be an expensive process, but if you have some guidance, you can get the most important items checked off your list first. You might have to do the building in steps, but an environmental consultant can advise you on the most beneficial order of renovation.