Mother-in-Law Suite: Features You’ll Want to Have in Yours

A growing number of people are looking for options for their aging parents that don’t involve the often problematic nursing home setting.

And one of the possibilities that many are considering is a mother-in-law suite. Also known as in-law suite, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or granny flat, this is a separate living space that offers residents some form of autonomy while allowing caregivers close proximity if needed.

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7 Ways to Use Pantone’s Color of the Year

7 Ways to Use Pantone's Color of the Year
Image courtesy Pantone

This year, Pantone has opted to go with two colors…a bright, happy shade of yellow and a calming light gray.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute describes the color choices as “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic.”

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How To Best Care for Furniture

How To Best Care for Furniture

Furniture features both functionality and beauty. Simply using furniture leaves damage and causes it to lose its beauty over time. Fortunately, with just a bit of care, it is possible to keep your furniture looking lovely for a long time. Here is how to best care for furniture.

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Things To Look Out for When You’re Buying an Old House

Things To Look Out for When You're Buying an Old House

For some people, modern homes just aren’t their thing. A classic home from another time in history can draw a person’s attention for many reasons. However, before you make any final decisions, there are a few things to look out for when you’re buying an old house. If you’re comfortable with the potential work or way of living that may come with an older home, you should be good to go on your purchase.

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Easy Backyard Improvements for Outdoor Entertaining

Easy Backyard Improvements for Outdoor Entertaining

Whether you want to bond with your family or entertain your guests, hanging out in the backyard is one of the best ways to do that. Instead of being stuck in the living room or the kitchen/dining room area, spending your free time in the open is always a better alternative. This is great for your mental and physical health, as well as your social life, and if you start throwing parties in your outdoor area, you’ll become the star of the neighborhood before you know it. If that’s something you’d like to do too, you need to update your backyard first, so here are a few easy ways to do that.

Outdoor kitchen

Having some tasty food and a few refreshing drinks is the only way to have a great time hanging out in your backyard. However, this might not be the easiest thing in the world, and most homeowners don’t want to waste tons of time in the kitchen while their guests are having fun outside. But, if you could prepare food and drinks and hang out with your buddies at the same time, don’t worry – there’s a solution!

Designing an outdoor kitchen sounds like a hard and challenging task, but it’s easier than you can imagine. You just need to stick to a few simple and effective ideas that can go a long way, but still insist on three important factors: practicality, functionality, and visual appeal. The idea tons of people opt for is designing an outdoor kitchen that’s just like their indoor kitchen because this creates a nice flow and brings the indoor and outdoor sections of their home closer tighter.

Outdoor bar

Easy Backyard Improvements for Outdoor Entertaining

Once you create a nice and comfortable outdoor kitchen, adding a bar area where you can enjoy your drinks is the next step you need to take. Again, this doesn’t have to be the most complicated project you’ve ever done, and keeping things practical and simple is always better. You don’t have to invest too much money either and don’t be afraid to test your DIY skills and come up with a few solutions on your own.

But, there’s one thing you need to insist on – keeping the same design concept you’ve used when designing your kitchen. Creating a bar that’s completely different from your outdoor kitchen makes no sense at all, even if you have the largest backyard in the world, and combining these two areas is the right thing to do. So, use the same materials, the same countertops, the same colors, and the same lighting, and you’ll quickly turn your backyard into the nicest and coziest section of your home.

Outdoor cinema

In case you love spending your free time watching movies and TV shows, designing an outdoor cinema is simply a must. This is a wonderful way to connect to your family and get closer than ever, as well as show your guests how amazing and fun you are. Lots of people are worried this project might be too difficult for them and turn into an expensive endeavor, but that doesn’t mean you have to do things that way.

Instead, what you need to insist on is keeping your outdoor cinema as professional and high-quality as possible. So, start by finding the most superior outdoor TV you can find – there are a few amazing models that are perfect for outdoor spaces but still not too expensive. Also, invest in a powerful surround sound system and look into some cozy seating options that will help your guests feel comfortable and relaxed. Finally, get them a few drinks you’ve prepared in your bar area and the food you’ve cooked in your outdoor kitchen – and you’ll all have a blast!

Outdoor dining area

Easy Backyard Improvements for Outdoor Entertaining

If you don’t want your friends and family to use their beanbags for eating, you need to create a proper outdoor dining area. This is another easy project that will take your backyard experience to a whole new level and help you enjoy it even more. You’re going to need to invest some time and money into designing the best dining space you can, but it’s all going to be worth it in the end – especially if you’re one of those people who love hanging out in the open all summer long!

Creating a fabulous outdoor dining area is very simple, and finding the right location should be your first step. Most people go for simple solutions and turn their patios into spaces where they can enjoy their al fresco meals whenever they want. After picking the spot, start looking for a table that will suit you and get a few comfortable chairs as well. Finally, get a dinnerware set that looks cool and invite all your friends over!

Turning your backyard into the best outdoor entertainment area isn’t easy, but it’s doable if you know what you have to do, so stick to these simple ideas and let your imagination run wild!

If you like this post, check out these:

Tips for Entertaining Outdoors Year-Round Safely With Style

How to Set Up Your Home for Entertaining

Kitchen Entertaining is the Center of all Entertainment at Home