Happy Houses
by Carol Beatty, Window Treatment Specialist, Quigley Draperies
I was in a discussion with a friend recently and the question of happiness came up. Who is happy and who is not? How does one reach that state of pleasure and satisfaction we all call "happy?"
I don't have the answer to these big questions. On a personal level, I do know if I'm having a bad start to the day I need to stop and mentally refocus. If I don't intentionally do this, the rest of the day will progressively become worse. I can refocus by looking at a lovely tree and laugh at the squirrels chasing each other around it. Or by listening to some soothing music. Or even saying, "thank you" and smiling!
A major contributor to my refocus efforts is waking up in a "happy house," one that feels casual and comfortable, but is also beautiful. On a daily basis, few of us can maintain homes as perfect as those in the decorating magazines. But our homes should be our places to renew and refocus.
Living in a sad house is kind of like having a bad day that continues into more bad days. You can come up with a plan to change! The change could be to fix the broken items in your house. Or paint walls a cheerful color, like butter yellow or meadow green. Or buy a more comfortable mattress. Or finally tackle some long neglected home improvement project.
If your life is feeling cluttered, perhaps your home is in disarray. Commit to declutter by doing one small area at a time. With each box leaving the house, new space will open up!
I think that houses can also be happier by letting in lots of light through the windows. I like the feeling of opening my window coverings in the morning, to have a look out and start a new day, and close them at night when I'm getting cozy with a book.
Sometimes daytime sun can be softened by sun shades, shutters or Silhouette shadings. This can help keep rooms cooler in the hot sun without darkening them. Sunlight has been shown to improve mood, helping to make us happier!
At night, I like to wind down by closing shades or drapery to create a feeling of privacy and comfort. This mentally allows me to unwind and get ready for sleep. Energy efficiency can also be enhanced, especially in winter, by closing window treatments at night. Much heat is lost through bare glass exposed directly to winter weather.
These are a few ideas to help create a more relaxing and comforting home, and, in turn, to help nurture a happier you!
Quigley Draperies, on Broadway in downtown Roosevelt Park, features their own custom work room and installation, as well as experienced, trusted design assistance. Quigley's is celebrating over 80 years of helping homeowners decorate their windows. Call (231) 755-3248 or visit QuigleyDraperies.com.
For Your Home
by Gary Scott Beatty, Editor, On the Shore Magazine
Add Color
Louise Hopson's joyful, one of a kind clay pieces are easy to spot -- she loves color. This is good news for homeowners who are looking to add splashes of color to brighten rooms but shy away from painting an entire wall knockout orange. Accent pieces like an arrangement of Louise's wall hangings, photo frames or a large vase can give a room the color punch it needs without replacing your comfy, neutral couch. If Louise's style isn't your thing, she features tiles, pottery, paintings and jewelry from a variety of other artists at her studio, Art Cats Gallery on Lakeshore Drive in Muskegon's Lakeside.
Art Cats Gallery, (231) 755-7606
Upscale Look Without the Upscale Cost
If laminate flooring looked fake last time you checked, check again, suggested Sonia Gilbert from Lange Flooring Center on Glade Street in Muskegon. Manufacturers are now producing an impressive array of traditional, rustic, and exotic woodgrain designs. Some laminate floors lock together without the use of adhesive and some patterns resemble natural stone, complete with mottled colors and textural shadings. Laminates offer exceptional durability and stain resistance and are easy-care. Plus, laminates can be quite cost-effective, offering a wood look that's often less expensive than the real thing.
Lange Flooring Center, (231) 726-2352
Quick Stick Your Loft or Kid's Room
Large, colorful Quick Stick wall posters are a great way to modernize a wall space or add whimsy to a child's space. Virtually any large, digital photo or graphic can be enlarged to fit your wall, as small as a two by three foot poster or as large as a whole room. Designers on TV home programs love this product, which can be hung without tacks, will cling to most any surface and can be removed without damaging walls. Surprisingly, the place to look into Quick Stick is your local print shop, Design 2 Print on Henry Street in Muskegon. D2P is the retail location for Graphic House, and through its GH Imaging department has access to cutting edge digital sign technology. The helpful staff at Design 2 Print can explain how Quick Stick can work in your home.
Design 2 Print, (231) 755-4100
Remote Control
Remote control window coverings may seem an extravagance out of James Bond, but Carol Beatty, window treatment specialist from Quigley Draperies on Broadway in Roosevelt Park, said they can be extremely practical in places that are difficult to reach, like that high skylight, the window over the tub, and those mile-high transom lights. For a dramatic movie theater experience in a media room, there's nothing quite like an automated curtain pulling back from the wide screen TV. Quigley Draperies features its own custom work room, over 80 years in business, and installer Greg Kroeze, an expert in motorized technology.
Quigley Draperies, (231) 755-3248