Ways to Update Your Bathroom, and Ways You Shouldn’t

Some of these were great and some didn’t make sense

We just survived Black Friday and like many of you, we were looking at all of the articles shouting about the greatest products for your home. But, have you ever really thought about the items? Or do you  just scroll past? This week we’re taking a look at a popular article over on Buzzfeed and giving our breakdown on whether or not we think you should add these to your bathroom. We’re looking at this article, so if you want to check it out before we get to it, have at it! 






Before we get started, this is our rating system. We did a rating of 1-10, with 1 “Being no way am I buying this” and 10 being “absolutely, you should get it”.

 





1. 1 - NO, these look beautiful for about a week before the hot water makes them lose their shine. They also don’t hold everything that you need if you have a household of more than 1 person. 

2. 5 - We are split on this one because, on one hand, you can DIY this look for yourself much more easily, BUT if the bamboo lids fit with your current decor, it’s an easy purchase. 

3. 1 - We have been warned to absolutely NOT do this, as it will actually ruin the finish on your tub. If you turn a normal cleaning into an attachment that’s one thing. The brushes that are designed for your drill though, are typically made with metal or wood in mind and will ruin your lovely tub. 

4. 10 - Utilize that vertical space! Poor design choices of homes often leave us with large gaps of useless space, so we love finding ways to solve that issue. 

5. 10 -  We love the idea. 

6. 6 -  Definitely useful if you choose the right one, but there are also definite possibilities of smacking your head against it. 

7. 10 -  Verified cleaning products are always a win in our book! 

8.  7 -  Bubble baths are a definite win as far as we are concerned, but we will say that with smaller tubs, such as builder grade, we will caution a need for awareness of your space so that you don’t tip it over or get hurt trying to get in or out of the tub. 

9. 1 - WHY? What is the purpose? 

10. 10 -  We’re not really concerned about the look of this one, but for ease of access and cleaning, we are all over it. 

11. 10 - Not only does adding mirrors make a room feel more expansive, but it also makes it ~breathe~ more. 

12. 10 - Although not relevant to making your bathroom more organized, luxurious, or even magazine worthy, a squeegee is very useful for getting it clean. 

13. 10 - Dead useful for getting ready in the morning. 

14. 2 - It’s pretty, so it gets a point, but… why?

15. 10 - We absolutely agree on this one for several reasons. Your light fixture absolutely affects the way the rest of the room looks. The clarity of the light or how diffuse it is will also reflect on the space and how you use it. 

16. 8 - We love the idea of this one, but we won’t say it’s a need, more of a next step up for the look of your bathroom. 

17. 5 - Having a  set in your bathroom can absolutely tie everything together. But pastels? No. 

 18. No. We’re not even dignifying this one with a rating. Instead, we suggest a simple tray or a tiered system that will actually make use of the counter space that it sits on. 

19. 3 - Peel and stick tile is great for the kitchen, and we have sung its praises many times in the past. But in the bathroom, it is too likely to be damaged by humidity and water from the bath/shower and will need to be replaced frequently. If you’re up for that challenge, we so go for it, but be aware of what you’re signing up for. 



20- 23  10 All of them do what they say, and are great for cleaning




24. 8 - This is very tiny, and might not work for all bathrooms, but we do appreciate what it does and how well it does it. 

25.  7 - Cute, good for aesthetic but is small and easy to trip over. 

26. 8 - Definitely a luxurious upgrade to your shower experience, but we do prefer having options for the pressure that this waterfall shower head doesn’t seem to supply. 

27. 5 - Although definitely very useful, we would argue that this has little to nothing to do with aesthetic or looking like your bathroom is more spalike or luxurious. 

28. 6 - Much like the peel-and-stick tiles, this one can quickly deteriorate due to the humidity of the room. However, if you choose the right adhesive, you’ll gain the balance between “Sticky enough to stay on the wall for years to come” and “So sticky that it will peel off the paint AND the drywall when you want to replace it for something else.” 

29.  5 -This one just seems like a given to us? 

30. 10 - Mix it up with different colors, and we love this one. 

31.  15. For our final one, this is definitely one to round out the article on, as it is absolutely a fantastic way to finish any shower. If you’ve got the space in your bathroom for this, go for it. You will absolutely thank yourself later. 


With that we have finished out this article and we want to know what you think! Reach out to us on our Facebook page or in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you on what you agree or disagree with. 


If you’ve got issues with your major appliances and you found our blog by accident, no worries! Check over at this link and that’ll take you straight to our contact page. Or if you’d rather talk to us directly, you can give us a call at ((214) 599-0055). At Appliance Rescue Service, we’re here to help you get your home running smoothly. 


This is all in the interest of fun and discussion, and we don’t have anything against Buzzfeed or the author of the article. 

Organizing Your Home Before the Holiday Daze

Getting Your Home Ready Before the Holidays Hit

Raise your hand if your house becomes a mess every year during the time between Halloween and Christmas?  If you did, you’re not alone. Your Blogger is there right with you. What if though, you had a handful of tips and tricks to tackle this holiday season without losing your mind, the gifts you’d bought, and every square inch of space in your home? Well, that’s where today’s post comes in. 





First up, the general things. 

Two bins made of wicker sit side by side.

Courtesy of Alexa

-Use Bins and baskets around the home to contain mess and clutter. Sure it’s a cheat, but if you have designated spaces to put things, they’re less likely not only to go missing but end up scattered over every other available surface. 

Three stacking storage units sit side by side full of various toys and books, sorted into bins.

Courtesy of C.M. Zijderveld

- You can also use bins and baskets to sort gifts if you purchase as you go through the year purchasing. We like having a row of baskets at the top of the closet. It looks good all year long, and so long as you don’t label the outside, you’re the only one that knows that you’re hiding gifts and not your out-of-season clothes. 






-Clean stuff up! Get rid of stuff and do a pre-holiday donation blitz. 

Go through and trim stuff down. Do you hate that ornament? Donate it. Is a wreath falling apart? Either deconstruct it for craft materials or send it to the recycling center. 

Essentially, if you don’t love it, don’t keep it. 




Have a plan! 

Whether you’re breaking down your decorations from Halloween, setting up for Thanksgiving, or getting organized for Christmas, having a plan saves you time and headaches. 



Play Tetris! 

When it comes to storing things away, unless it’s breakable, it’s better to store smaller things inside larger things. Two examples here. 

A bunch of boxes are all tossed together in a hodge podge of a mess, and a very bad example of storing things inside one another.

This would be a very bad example of storing things inside one another. The only reason nothing is broken is because it’s cardboard.

  • A good example would be storing small details like tiny skulls, potion bottles, and bats inside a larger fake pumpkin. By doing this, you maximize the space that the pumpkin is taking up, and you ensure that you don’t lose or break the smaller items. 

  • Storing glass ornaments inside your grandmother’s trifle dish without wrapping or protection. Doing this means that you’ll end up with shards of glass given enough time and movement. 







-Think about where you’re going to store things before you go shopping. If you already know exactly where it’s going, it’s more difficult to lose it in the holiday daze, and you know if you have the space for it. 




Store the specifics together. Don’t just toss everything into 1-2 boxes and call it done. Put together like with like and protect the things that need it inside that storage. We will always suggest storing everything in totes that are labeled on the outside and the lid. 

- Also make sure to make a list of everything that’s inside the tote and tape it to the inside lid of the tote. This lets you ensure that you know exactly what’s inside them. 






-Separate out your Halloween decorations, store your costume pieces in their own plastic sealable bags, and those organized into totes. You can also store all of your decor in totes as well.  (You can also do the same with fabrics for other holidays, but we’re still thinking about Halloween and Halloween costumes here at ARS.) This is to protect your papers, plastics, and fabrics from moisture, bugs, and other rodents. 






What about Christmas? That’s a lot of very specific items that need careful handling. 

-Glass ornaments? Wrap them in paper towels before storing them in an ornament carrier (even if that is just  a photo box.) 

-Egg cartons and cupcake boxes are also great for storing ornaments of all shapes and sizes.

-Loving on the Christmas lights? Turn a sheet of cardboard into cord storage, keep them all separate, and put them into their own bin. 

- Fake Christmas tree? We haven’t figured out anything more straight0forward than the totes made just for this, but let us know if you do. 






- What about wrapping? Do you love it or loathe it? 

Try setting up a station for gift wrapping. Have a container for wrapping papers and keep all of them in that container. 

Keep everything sorted so that it’s close to hand. That can mean a large tote box that has everything inside it in trays that you only pull out when you need it, or it can be a table in a corner with everything stored away.
Your Blogger’s setup contains the following. 

Tape

Sharp scissors

A flat open area

Wrapping paper

Notecards and pens

Power cable, an outlet, and the phone (for entertainment AND wrapping help.) 

A kraft paper background with slick bows, a small box wrapped with a ribbon, a pair of craft scissors, a spool of ribbon and a ribbon tied into a bow.








Rounding out our tips in the kitchen, let’s get sorted!

-Store your baking supplies together. It is a fantastic way to keep your kitchen organized and your life nice and easy. Plus, when you pull out the baking supplies every year, you’ll get excited knowing that all the fun of the holidays is just around the corner. 




-Sort and store cookie cutters in photo boxes. The small boxes with their labels on the outside make it easy to find just the ones you want and store them away when you’re done. 

-Baked Gift Supplies can also be stored together. If you keep everything you need in one box or tray, it’s all there when you’re ready to pack up the cakes and cookies. Bakers' twine, cookie bags, cupcake liners, and tags, everything is right there for you. 

Thanks to Bernadette Wurzinger

And there you have it! Our tips for how to make the holidays run more smoothly and keep you from pulling your hair out this winter. Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page how you make the holidays easier on yourself. 


If you wound up here because you pushed the dreaded button (no, not that one, the one on your oven labeled ‘Self-Clean’,) we’re here to help. First up, step away from the oven. Next, set up an appointment with us via our contact page or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). We’ll work with you to select a time and date that works for your schedule and send one of our technicians to get your oven working again. In the event it’s not because of your oven but instead one of your other major appliances, it’s ok; we can still help. For any of your major appliances, Appliance Rescue Service is here to help get your home running smoothly again. 







9 Gorgeous Plants That Are Texas Natives!

And Why A Native Lawn Is Better Than A Grass Lawn

We've talked before about the idea of more natural landscaping and turning away from having your yard or garden as just a lawn of grass. More than being a "popular" idea, it's also better for your home and your water bill. This week we're taking a look at turning the land around your home into a garden that's more representative of native Texas plants. Since planning something like this can take all winter to plan and source, if not longer, we figured we'd get the ball rolling now. Some of these plants are decorative, some are edible, and many are attractive to different pollinators. 

What does "native" mean here?  

So what exactly does "native" mean? A native plant is one that has lived in Texas prior to Europeans coming to the continent. The spread of Europeans across North America brought all sorts of plants over, and while many have adapted, not all of them have. More important is that some of them have negatively affected the pre-existing flora and fauna of Texas and North America as a whole.  If you're looking to replace invasive species in your yard, or you just want to know what to avoid, here's a quick list. Japanese honeysuckle, Brazilian pepper, Chinese tallowtree, musk thistle, Macartney rose, scotch thistle, yellow star thistle, Malta star thistle, blessed milk thistle, jointed goatgrass, Christ-thorn, Camel thorn, and Chinese privet are all examples. Again, invasive plants are those that spread naturally in an area because they don't have predators in the new area. More importantly, they can easily take over an area and displace the native plants.

We will say that so long as something isn't invasive (consider something like kudzu which will choke out all other plants) you can plant whatever you want. 

A quick note, we have included the Latin names for most of the plants we're suggesting so that you can search for that variety specifically. 

Beautiful soft trumpet shaped flowers sit in a field of leaves and stems. Caution, the stems look pointy.

Courtesy of Baker Creek

Wild Petunia 

Many of us want to switch over to different options for ground covers so as not to lose our precious topsoil. For that we suggest the Wild Petunia, a low, wide-spreading plant that loves to  bloom all throughout summer. You'll get beautiful pale lilac blooms from the Ruellia nudiflora without having to fight with it.

Lemon beebalm

Many of us are using our gardens to grow plants that can supplement our tables or our medicine cabinets these days. If that's you, or you just want a beautiful flower, you might enjoy the lemon beebalm or lemon mint plant. Also known as Monarda citriodora, this plant puts out beautiful blooms early on in summer to draw in all sorts of pollinators.


A bunch of stems with flowers circling around the stem ar laying on a table, horizontally

Courtesy of Baker Creek

Three yucca plants have grown next to each other and are in bloom with a full boquet of white flowers in the center of each spiky nest of leaves.

Courtesy of Texas Beyond History

Yucca 

When you want a plant that can thrive as a hedge, a container plant or a border plant, a yucca is a great addition to your garden. You could even go so far as to include several different varieties of yucca in your yard as the plant comes in a large variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

 Texas Redbud 

If you're looking for a shrub that will flower all through summer, check out the Texas Redbud. Although they're really more of a pink than a red, we think that the blooms are absolutely lovely. To learn more about it and what it needs, you can look up Cercis canadensis var. texensis.

Courtesy of North Carolina State University

a single flower is centered in the frame with an orange spiked center spiraling out with long petals hanging down from the central cone

Courtesy of Baker Creek

Purple coneflower 

When looking at this plant, you'll quickly understand how it gets its common name. The Latin name, though is Echinacea purpurea, which gives a clue to just how useful it is in your home. Purple coneflower is part of the echinacea family and is commonly used for treating pain and inflammation alongside the cold or flu. The flowers are easy to grow, with their blooms starting in early spring and lasting all through summer.

Beautyberry 

Who wouldn't love a plant called Beautyberry? The plant creates stunning clusters of berries that can feed local birds and animals.  Although technically edible, we don't suggest eating them raw as the beautyberry is rather astringent. The Beautyberry or Callicarpa americana also has lovely long, arching branches and bright green foliage to attract the eye even when the berries are no longer in season.

Vines hang among broad leaves with very large clusters of small tightly packed berries

Courtesy of Amazon

Courtesy of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Crossvine

You might be looking for something to bring in a pop of color to a gazebo or trellis, or your outdoor kitchen. There we're going to suggest the Crossvine or Bignonia capreolata. These beauties are a climbing vine that are colorful all year long. In spring, you get beautiful blooms in fiery yellows, oranges, and reds, while in cooler months, you see the leaves shade from vibrant green to a beautiful purple.

Winecup 

These cup-shaped, deep purple wildflowers have stems and foliage that spread along the ground and form a thick mat, making them a great choice for ground cover in landscaping. The drought-tolerant winecup, aka purple poppy mallow, blooms in spring, when its flowers open each morning and close each night.

Coming up from the curb of a road is a dense green plant with many, many flowers

Courtesy of Nana’s Bloomers

A beautiful lanky tree has dozens of pale purple clusters of flowers hanging down

Courtesy of Native Backyards

Texas Mountain Laurel

If you're wanting something that will impress friends and family, both with its height and with the beautiful blooms, look no further than the Texas Mountain Laurel. Also called Sophora secundiflora, this tree blooms in beautiful shades of white and purple in spring and summer. 

Which ones are your favorites? Do you know more about native plants in Texas? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. As always, we love to hear from you! 

If you're here because your appliances are costing you money, not your yard, it's cool. We're actually specialists in appliance repair. (You couldn't tell, could you? haha.) So no matter which of your major appliances are making your day chaotic, don't fret; we can help. Just reach out to us via our contact page or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). We'll work with you to set up a date and time that work for you to have one of our professionals come and fix what's wrong. At Appliance Rescue Service, our goal is to get your home running smoothly again.  

5 Portable Air Conditioners to Fight the Heat

When you’re desperately in need of something to keep you from melting

We're hitting the dog days of summer, and it's far too hot to rely on just your central air. With temperatures regularly breaking triple digits,  all we can hope to do is to drink plenty and hide indoors until the worst of the heat has passed. What if your area is struggling with rolling brownouts though? Or if you're not trying to freeze your entire house, you want to focus on just the room you're in? Whatever your reasons might be, and we know there are plenty we've missed, we're taking a look at 5 of the best-rated portable air conditioning units. 



This week we're taking a look at 3 Frigidaires, a Whynter, and a relatively new contender, Amazon.  All five of them have been compared on a five-star system both in labs and by consumers. 





Amazon Basics MPPDB-09CRN1-BCG5 - Just Starting

Price $446

White portable air conditioner with a fan that can be tucked away on top, in front of the control buttons.

Let's start off with the Amazon Basics. This is the first time we're taking a look at an Amazon Basics appliance on the blog, and we weren't sure what to expect. On the site it has four stars out of five for reviews.  Half of the reviews on amazon for this are at 5 stars. On the other hand, in lab settings, we testers weren't all that impressed with the model. When tested for being able to cool a room sized for that particular unit (400 sq ft) on high, it only rated a 3/5 stars. It took far longer than testing felt that it should have given the size of the room. It also didn't do great at keeping the room at the temperature it was set to when the air was measured with a thermometer.  It's also rather noisy, both at high fan settings and low, something that isn't great if you're looking to have conversations, or keep your napping children asleep during summer. Finally, it doesn't let you know when the filter needs to be cleaned. Which admittedly, isn't the end of the world, but it is something that all of the others we're looking at offer. 




Opinion: We think that this is a good option if you're looking to get a portable unit /today/ or if you're looking for something for a dorm room. Otherwise, give Amazon some time to work the kinks out with this one. 







Frigidaire FHPW142AC1 - Cheapest Option

Price $484 - $529

Portable air conditioner in with a sleek black top with a recessed fan and several buttons spread across the top in a line.

Now we're taking a look at our cheapest option. Before you discount it based on that, this is still a step up from the Amazon. Although the rating by our testers is still 3/5 and customer ratings on Amazon rank it  as 4/5 we would have to argue that the availability of a reliable customer support team makes up for issues in that department. Much like the Amazon, this Frigidaire is rather noisy both on high and low settings, The second biggest difference in our opinion is that it does let you know when the filter needs to be cleaned out. It might not seem like a large issue, but when it reduces the effectiveness of the unit, it really is. 

Opinion: Better than the Amazon, but only by a smidge. Go for it if the name brand or customer support matter more to you. 









Frigidaire FHPC132AB1-Easy to Buy, Easy to Move

Price $490 - $519

A portable air conditioner on wheels with a slick top, a row of buttons and a recessed fan as well as a depression around the entire frame.

Another Frigidaire this time, but it's a step up in comparison to the last. 4/5 in lab conditions with a 4/5 on Amazon, and 57% of that being 5 stars. People like this one. It's easy to buy, easy to move around, and it works. What's even better is that unlike our last two units, this one is actually quiet on it's low setting. It's still a  noisy when set to high, but at least when you've got in on low you'll be able to have a decent conversation.  This one is also the lightest out of all five units that we looked at only 75 lbs. Even better, it only uses 13,000 BTUs an hour, compared to 14,000 as most of the others do. 

Opinion: Solid middle of the scale unit. It's easy to get your hands on and it works hard at keeping your home cool, while still keeping it as noise free as possible. 











Whynter ARC-14S - Consistent Price, Consistent Service

Price $599 

A thin portable air conditioner with a fan on top and the buttons on the front panel of it.

Finally, not a Frigidaire. Starting off by looking at the ratings, this one scored 5/5 for customer reviews and 4/5 in lab testing. The only point where it didn't do outstanding in terms of how quickly it was able to cool a room down to the specified temperature. That isn't to say that it didn't get there (or else it wouldn't have 5/5 stars.) Its simply that if you're going from a room that is extremely hot and asking it to get to 70* it's going to take time, even with the 14,000 BTUs.  It was ranked as the best overall portable air conditioner by Good Housekeeping, which had us surprised, after we took  a look at our best rated unit. The thing we loved best about this one is that when set to low, it's almost silent. It's still noisy when on high, but we're beginning to think that there aren't any portable ac units that can be quiet when cooling off a house in Texas. 

Opinion: A fantastic option with a glowing review from one of the best known companies in American homes. 






Frigidaire Gallery GHPC132AB1 -Biggest Variable in Price, and Best Rated

Price $549 - $856

And for our last one, we're back to a Frigidaire. Oops.  

However, this one is also the best on the list. 

A portable air conditioner on wheels with a beveled edge around the top, a recessed fan and a slick top with buttons set in.

It's rated 4.5 out of 5 in lab tests and 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon. It is wi-fi connected so that you can turn it on when you're on your way home and make sure that the room is cool when you get there. (Honestly, that is one of the only times we can say we absolutely get connecting an appliance to wi-fi.) It also is easy to clean and care for with the easy to clean air filter and the tank that you take out for the dehumidifier. It's even quieter than any of the others on the list when set to high. It's not silent, but it's working on it. Best of all, if allergies are kicking your butt as much as the rest of us, this model offers a clean air ionizer to reduce particles and kill bacteria. 

Opinion: Although it's not rated as the best option by Good Housekeeping, we had to disagree. With how quiet it is at both high and low settings, the ability to reduce airborne particulates and get your home cool before you come home, this is our favorite out of the five we looked at. 











What do you think? Are you going to add one of these to your arsenal to fight back the heat and get through the dog days? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. As always, we'd love to hear from you. 

If you wound up here because your dryer is overheating and making your house hotter, not because of the summer heat, we can still help. At Appliance Rescue Service, we are experts in finding out why your appliances are on the fritz and getting them back into working order. Whether you're fighting with your dryer or your refrigerator, your oven or your dishwasher, give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us on our contact page. Our goal is to get your home running smoothly again.

4 Ways To Transform Your Yard Into An Extension Of Your Home

And How That Makes Your Yard Even More Fun For You

"Home is where the heart is," is how the saying goes - but what does that mean about the space around our homes? Many of us use our yards as gardens or just fields of green, with maybe the occasional patio thrown in for grilling and hosting small gatherings. What if instead you were to spread out and utilize all of that space to the max?

Creating spaces outside the home isn't always easy, though, especially when you have to contend with Texas' heat. To help with that, though, you can use a trellis with climbing vines, a pergola to designate “inside” and “outside,” panel walls, or furniture placement to create the idea of different rooms.

When you have a yard, as many of us in Texas prefer to, you need to break it up just as you would inside of your home. To best use the space, you break it apart into different rooms based on the goal of that area - and that is where this post comes in. We're looking at some ideas based on how you'd use them rather than what they're called. 

Places to Play

During summer, none of us want to stay inside all day, especially when you have children home from school. So why not use the areas around your home to create an outdoor playground for any age? 

Set up a playground:If you've got little ones, you can mark out an area that they can play in using gates and furniture, and (if you have it) a pergola. Alternatively, you can use an easy-to-break-down tent. Fill it with sensory activities, games, and books for kids to enjoy outside. They get time playing in the fresh air, and you know exactly where they are. 

Set up a living room:If your children are older, you can also set up an outside 'living room' space to allow them free range to spend time with friends or to hang out with family. All it takes is a bit of outside-the-box thinking. This setup could be used for everything from a movie night to space for board games and puzzles when you're too tired to face the heat. 





Places to Relax

While a living room, as we mentioned in our last section, would be considered a place to relax, we're looking at creating dedicated spaces. 

Set up a fire pit:Here is a space for relaxing and lazing about, sharing stories in the dying light of day, and creating memories with friends and family. Take your fire pit and draw a three-foot circle around it on all sides, giving plenty of space for safety. Fill that circle in with stone, and put down buckets for sand and water next to the pit in case of emergency. Beyond that circle, you can start placing poufs, chairs, and chaise lounges around the perimeter, creating an inviting and close-knit atmosphere for people to enjoy.

Use butterfly chairs, poofs, or a papasan:You can also scatter seating arrangements around your yard, with small tables in places that enjoy the shade at different times of day. Staking down the furniture where you place it is useful if you don't have your yard surrounded by a fence or broken up with windbreaks, but it's not necessary if you want to be able to move the furniture around easily. 

A tent covers a living room set with many blankets, chairs and pillows and two tables and a single large poof.

Courtesy of Kaboompics

Set up a swing or hammock:In your blogger's humble opinion, there's nothing better than a swinging hammock in the shade, a book and a cold glass of strong tea. Whether you hang it in the shade or in a spot in your yard that gets sun at different times of day, it's a great way to relax and catch a cat nap or just enjoy watching the clouds pass by. 




Places to Eat

Why stay inside where the air is still and everyone wants their phone or a screen? Take things outside instead and spend some time connecting to one another. 

Set up a table next to your garden, pool, or feature:Pick something in your home or yard that you find interesting. Is it a water fountain? Or a garden? Maybe it's an old tree. Now set up a table and chairs and eat dinner. Whether you intentionally focus on the feature that you chose or not, it's something that can spark conversation and make it easier to talk about all sorts of things. 

A rustic table stained a soft green has plants in pots all over it, along withs poons, next to a wooden pallet wall which has several succulents on it and many pots visible below the table

Courtesy of artyangel

Set up an outdoor counter:Alternatively, if you have a large window in your kitchen, you might consider setting up an outdoor counter with barstools along it for eating. This way, food can easily be passed back and forth between sides without having to go all the way through the house. It also means that whoever is cooking isn't sectioned off from conversation and company while they create food for the group. 


Places to Nap

There are many cultures that take a nap or quiet time in the middle of the day to avoid the heat. Why not set up your own space to let you do the same? While many people will say "well why then would I nap outside" we argue that there's something soothing about taking time to nap in the shade during summer. 

Set up a canopy bed:A first option might be portioning out a section of patio or your garden and putting in a bed with a canopy. Doing this allows for you to have space that is outside, but you get the full comfort of a bed. We'll point out again that whatever you put down, you want to make sure that it's weatherproof, but other than that, go for it. You can even go one step further if you love the stars and sleep out here at night, provided you have a bug canopy to keep away the pests. 

Set up chaise lounges in the garden, under trees, or on the porch:If a full bed isn't your thing, maybe a spot to nap after a swim is. Consider a chaise lounge or daybed in that case, something that's easier to move around and cover with weather proofing when things take a turn. It's great to be able to climb out of the pool, towel off and stretch out in the sun to finish relaxing after a long day.  It's also a lovely spot to enjoy a book or podcast when you're taking some time for yourself throughout the year (not just during summer). Adding in additional pillows and blankets can make it a great spot to escape to all year round. 

Turn a porch swing into a porch bed with the right dimensions, a thick pad, and plenty of bolsters for comfort:Or you might be someone that wants the comfort of motion. Studies have shown that a gentle rocking motion creates the deepest sleep in adults and children, so why not have a hammock or swing? Since we're talking about sleep though, let's take your normal porch swing and upgrade it a bit. To start with, make sure that your swing has high sides. There's nothing worse than rolling off a swing when all you wanted was a cat nap. Grab two cot mattresses and stack them on top of one another, then cover with an outdoor slip. Next up, grab some bolsters in a coordinating fabric and line the edges of your swing with them. Drag out a blanket when you're in the mood, and voila, you have a perfectly soothing spot to relax, nap and chat, whatever your mood.

Which room are you most interested in creating for yourself? Is there a glaring idea that we overlooked? A flaw maybe that we haven't considered? Or maybe you're seeing a chance for a room that we didn't think of. Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. 


If you wound up here because the appliances inside your home are what are driving you out, then we can help. Whether it's your oven or your ice maker, give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or go to our website to set up an appointment that works for you.