Wrap Around Porches

These long, cold winter days have me daydreaming of summer. On a nice warm day there are few things better then relaxing on a beautiful wrap around porch. (My future dream home definitely includes one). Now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to get your porch ready for use in the upcoming seasons. Consider adding a pop of color by painting the ceiling of your porch a vibrant hue. You can never have too much comfortable seating either, so invest in a new outdoor sofa or pair of rocking chairs. Turn your porch into a space for living so that you're ready to take advantage of it when the weather warms up.

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Colorful Ceilings

Looking to give your home new life without starting from scratch? Give your ceilings a little love. Most of us live with plain white or off-white ceilings, which is fine, but definitely a bit boring. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up in bed each morning greeted by a beautiful, non-white ceiling? Now, I'm not saying you have to go crazy and paint a mural on your ceiling (although you certainly could if you want to), but a little color never hurt anybody. It's time to stop ignoring our ceilings and think of them as another wall in our homes to be painted something other then plain white.

Go for a dramatic look with a painted black ceiling, and crisp white trim -- perfect for a dining room or small space. Or keep things a bit more tranquil with a calm color, such as light blue, pink or gray. If you're feeling extra adventurous, try creating a pattern on your ceiling such as a thick stripe or herringbone. This look is great for a hallway or playroom.

No matter what color you choose, I would suggest keeping all trim a bright, clean white. This will act as a clear division between your wall and ceiling colors.

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