Home Decor Ideas

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The ultimate guest room helps your guests feel incredibly welcome. Image: LKW Design Associates

Figuring out how to design your own interiors is one thing, but for some reason, when it comes to putting together a guest room, decisions feel extra important. Every host wants their guests to feel comfortable. In addition, there’s a little bit of pride at stake. The ability to offer particularly plush guest quarters is a status symbol.

That said, the question becomes: What does it take to create a great guest room? Which features will make your guests feel most at home and leave them talking about how much they’ve enjoyed their stay? We’re here to help figure that out.

We’ve put together a guide to creating the ultimate guest room. Read on to learn our best tips and tricks for how to set up your extra bedroom. Keep them in mind as you work on your own space and we guarantee your guests will think they’ve checked into a five-star hotel.

Leave some extra blankets in case someone gets cold. Image: Weiss Architecture Inc.

The ultimate guest room needs temperature options

Everybody has their own sleeping preferences. Some people need their bedroom to be ice cold and others would rather burrow under a mountain of blankets. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get an adequate night’s rest when we’re unable to create those conditions.

Most guests would rather spend their night tossing and turning than disturb their hosts by asking to adjust the temperature. That’s why it’s so important for guests to be able to make their room hotter or colder at will.

To do this, focus on the type of bedding you provide. Choose sheets and blankets that create light, breathable layers. Then, keep a couple heavier covers on hand so guests can access them. Aside from textiles, be sure to include a fan for those who like the room to stay cool.

Leave a basket of fresh towels for your guests to use during their stay. Image: Dreamy Whites

Include fresh towels

At some point in the visit, your guests will need to freshen up. Rather than make visitors ask for clean towels or carefully raid your linen closet, purchase a separate set of towels and leave them in the room when guests arrive.

There are ways to make your linens work double duty. In addition to their intended purpose, you can incorporate them as part of your overall design. Be sure to choose a set of towels similar in color or pattern to the other accents in the room.

Make sure there’s plenty of lighting on the bedside table. Image: Accouter Group

Add bedside lighting

We’ve all experienced a moment where we’ve tripped over friends’ furniture in the dark. Instead of making your guests navigate unfamiliar surroundings after turning the light out, include bedside lighting in your guest room.

As for how to pick the right fixture, consider both style and size. Obviously, you want to choose an option that matches your desired aesthetic, but it’s also important to make sure that the lighting is proportionate to the area. Abbe Fenimore, the designer at Studio Ten 25, says this interior design mistake is all too common. She recommends taking measurements of the area where your lamps will be before heading to the store.

If you have a little extra money to spare, you could also consider purchasing lighting that comes with extra features. Think about choosing dimmable lamps so guests can choose their own lighting level. Lamps with outlets in their base are also a good choice because they allow guests to easily charge their electronics.

Provide entertainment in case your guests wake up early. Image: Bee’s Knees Design LLC

Provide some entertainment

This is one of those features that will set your guest room apart from others. It’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep in unfamiliar territory. Most of us are prone to either lying awake at night or waking up at the crack of dawn. Rather than having your friends twiddle their thumbs while they wait for an acceptable time to get out of bed, the ultimate guest room will provide guests with entertainment.

Instead of automatically adding a TV, consider choosing forms of entertainment that can add to the décor. For example, something like the coffee table books in the picture above. Magazines are another good option.

Use these tips to create a guest room your visitors will love. Image: Blue Ocean Design

Putting together a guest room comes with a little extra pressure, doesn’t it? In addition to wanting your guests to feel welcome, there’s something satisfying about knowing you’ve created an impressive setup. If you’re looking for ways to wow your friends and family, check out our guide to creating the ultimate guest room. Follow our suggestions and we’re sure that extra bedroom will be so nice your visitors won’t want to leave.

Which features do you think are important in a guest room? What tips do you have for making guests feel at home? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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How do you interact with children inside a museum to increase their cultural appetite? Atelier YokYok installed a giant safety net under the main dome of the National Museum of Singapore that allows visitors to witness the art works from a different perspective.

Named Soft Dome, the temporary art installation is 36 ft (11m) wide and 22 ft (7m) high and was put together off-site before being delivered to the museum. The polypropylene net was especially created for the Children’s Season, which lasts until the end of July 2017, and underlines the main theme of the events — Connections.

“Soft Dome is a kind of bouncy hemispheric net that you can experience in the museum’s main rotunda,” the designers explained. “Visitors to the museum are confronted with this majestic black net structure that invades the space.” The concept of an inverted dome is inspired by the interior of the building.

The interaction with the suspended safety net is meant to trigger amusement for both children and adults. “Awe soon gives way to curiosity as you work out how to climb inside the Soft Dome,” Atelier YokYok said.

“Once you venture inside, the visual connection with the museum architecture becomes obvious, as does the link with the building, and you can dive, swing, climb inside the inverted dome, enjoying this playful and exciting interpretation of the museum space.” Photography: Atelier YokYok

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In an ideal world, we’d all have the proper space and budget to have one of the sublime swimming pools we featured recently. But the reality is, not all of us can. Some homes have soil issues that make digging and excavation impossible. Or perhaps the yard area is small. Quite often, however, an above ground swimming pool is the only solution to overcoming these limitations.

We’ve created a list of above ground pool ideas that might be the perfect fit for your backyard.

Above ground pools with decks are popular in coastal areas where sand makes an underground pool difficult to build. Image:

Above Ground Swimming Pool Pros Include:

• Ease of setup – Most pools come pre-built or are easy enough to build (if you like DIY projects) in a few hours.
• Price – Above ground swimming pools range in price from $1000 – $4500, making them more budget-friendly.
• Size – A range of pool sizes are available, including sizes for smaller spaces.
• Less maintenance – They’re easy to keep clean and feature low-maintenance filters and pumps. Winterizing an above ground pool is easier than that of a standard pool.

Above Ground Pool Cons Include:

• Easier to damage – Side walls and pool materials are easier to damage or puncture, requiring extra care to avoid any issues.
• Durability – They typically last 7 to 12 years, whereas a traditional swimming pool lasts for more than 20 years.
• Aesthetics – Above ground swimming pools are not as attractive. But with a few tweaks, you can have an above ground pool that looks just as custom as a regular swimming pool.
• Depth – Above ground pools are not very deep, averaging at approximately 4 feet.

If you think an above ground pool is right for your needs, add these ideas to your decor plan to beautify your yard and add a custom look. Some of these design ideas are larger than life! Adding elements such as above ground pool decks, lush landscaping and comfortable outdoor patio furniture can enhance your outdoor swimming area in no time.

Above Ground Pool Decks

A contemporary wood deck design that doubles as seating around the raised pool. Image: Eponyme Architecture

Adding a simple deck around an above ground swimming pool hides the unattractive siding and creates a more contemporary look. Image: Mermaid Pools

A rich, dark wood deck is built flush with the above ground pool to mimic a contemporary pool design. Image: Frank and Grossman

A prefab raised pool with a surrounding deck is low maintenance, keeping sand and debris out of the pool, especially by the beach or lake. Image: Sterling Custom Construction

An above ground deck that connects the house to the pool. The deck stops halfway to recreate the look of an infinity swimming pool. Image: Crestwood Pools

This large and decorative pool is connected to the home by a custom pool deck. The round pool is surrounded by coordinating gravel. Image: Ohio Pools

Concrete Above Ground Pools

A small above ground plunge pool is just right on a hot day. Image: Australian Plunge Pools

A contemporary above ground plunge pool with wood detailing that provides seating and hides the pool’s filtration system. Image: Urban Angles 

A raised pool finished in concrete to complement the home’s modern style. Image: Shubin Donaldson

Above Ground Pool Ideas Boxed in Wood

Stained wood siding contrasts nicely with the turquoise pool water and hides the unsightly raised pool structure. Image: Construction Zone Phoenix

A long lap pool and jacuzzi have a sleek design thanks to the prefab pool’s custom and exotic wood frame. An integrated central platform divides the two areas and creates a spot for relaxing. Image: Secret Gardens

Add a wood frame around an above ground pool to offer seating and places to put drinks and towels. Image: Platinum Pool Care

Another wood box frame idea that adds a backyard design element. This pool sits partially underground. Image: Lost West

This spa doubles as a plunge pool. What makes it most unique is the spa’s striking cantilevered levels. Image: Dimension One Spas

Wood siding with masterfully wrapped stairs give the store-bought pool a one-of-a-kind look. Image: Crestwood Pools

Custom wood siding around an above ground pool that looks like a modern oak wine barrel. Image: Crestwood Pools

Semi Underground Pool Ideas

Sometimes it’s necessary to install a pool semi-underground when the space isn’t level. The exposed area features fieldstone to hide the pool’s frame. Image: Nill Silver Photography

Partially underground, this deep pool has stone steps that make it easier to enter and exit. Image: Mermaid Pools

Another partially underground pool design due to the property’s slope. Image: Ohio Pools

Above Ground Pools Finished With Custom Materials

Build a Wonderboard frame and tile it to get this raised pool’s look. Image: ZEN Associates

A custom above ground pool in glass and large tile with an integrated deck. Image: ZEN Associates

A prefab raised pool with steps and a stone finish instead of the traditional wood deck. Image: Legacy Builders

Accessories For Your Above Ground Pool

Because you’re not likely to make an above ground pool purchase online, we thought we’d pull together some of our favorite pool accessories to take you water retreat to the next level.

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