You'd never know designer Meg Braff was working with a tight budget when she decorated this Palm Beach house for a snappy, 'with it' mom of three. The decorator shares the affordable design ideas she used to stretch her budget.



1. Going with an Inexpensive Carpet.
"The quickest way to blow a budget is on a carpet. Unless you're doing something really special, keep it simple," designer Meg Braff says. She chose affordable sisal for the living room. Starburst mirror from William-Wayne. Sconces from the Brighton Collection. Pouf from West Elm.

Related: Beautiful Designer Bedrooms

2. Upgrading Basic Pieces with Trim.
Braff added a bullion fringe to the sofa to bring in more blue. "You could do the same thing with a sofa off the floor at Crate & Barrel - just add a trim to personalize it," she says. The same idea also elevates plain lampshades or curtains.

Related: 10 Easy Closet Cleaning Tips

3. Opting for Balloon Shades.
For a small master bedroom, Braff chose balloon shades Read More »from 5 Tricks an Interior Designer Uses to Save Money

Planning changes to a home is always a fun experience, especially when the new plan includes the addition of wine cellars. Wine cellars are designed to store and protect wine until an appropriate time to enjoy the vintage with friends, family and colleagues. Depending on the particulars of the house, planning the addition is always a fun project to improve the building, even if it is a small cellar.

Location Planning

When planning wine cellars for a house, the first consideration is the location. The ideal placement of any wine cellar is below ground in the basement because the wine is best stored in a cool place. The basement is insulated against heat during the summer months, making it remain cool even when the weather is stifling.

If the house does not have a basement available, finding another appropriate location is the key to maintaining the wine at an ideal temperature. The best location will depend on the house layout and the design of the building,

Read More »from Wine Cellars Make for Fun Planning in Any Size

Older kitchen with dated laminate counter tops.
As the new year rolls in we start taking stock of a lot of things going on in our lives, and for some of us, the new year means making big changes in our homes. However this time of year makes it difficult when taxes are due and etc. There are budget friendly ideas that can improve your home at fraction of the cost and one of those rooms should be your kitchen. Read, and watch the how to video here: Laminate counter top restoration.

The Second World War broke out in September 1939 after the Polish invasion by Adolf Hitler and which caused Great Britain and France to declare war with Germany. This Second World War would last for the next six years and sadly, would cause more deaths than any other earlier wars. The Holocaust was born out of this period by Hitler in which he had 6 million Jews murdered in Nazi concentration camps. The rest of an estimated count of 45-60 million people were killed in this war. Hitler's plan had two objectives; invade the Soviet Union and the extermination of the Jews throughout the German-occupied Europe.

German forces took over Belgium and the Netherlands in a "blitzkrieg" or lightening war. After 3 days, Hitler's troops had broken through all defense barriers and the British Army realizing defeat, quickly evacuated at the end May by sea. The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared war with France. With France on the verge of collapse, Henri Philippe Petain with his

Read More »from History of the Second World War

Conorgrennan

Happiness interview: Conor Grennan.

I met Conor Grennan at a book event in Canada-he was there for his book, Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal, and I was there for The Happiness Project.

Conor's book-which came out in paperback this week-tells an amazing story. At age 30, when he was volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal, he realized that the children there weren't orphans, they were trafficked. He put himself on a mission to reunite these lost children with their families, and he managed to get many of them back to their families, after years of separation, fear, and privation. He also founded Next Generation Nepal, an organization that continues to help trafficked children.

That day, we had a chance to talk only for a few minutes, but I could tell that Conor had many interesting things to say about happiness, so I was very pleased to get the chance to interview him.

What's a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?

Read More »from "Volunteering Made Me so Happy that I Altered the Course of My Life"

My room at the Ramada Limited in Redondo Beach, CA even came with a small fridge & microwave free of charge
Many times it is asked how to achieve a comfortable and spacious feeling in a room that is small. Though a challenge, the ability to maximize on the limited space can be achieved if you follow certain common sense rules. Most people will tell you the problem room in their home is often odd shaped, small and low light. These issues will be addressed to help you reverse that feeling, since the space isn't always possible to enlarge. Read the tips here: How to decorate a small space.

Read More »from How to Decorate Difficult Spaces

Now, for all those families out there who are starting to train thier dogs, make sure you start young! the key thing is patience and to never yell at your pup. Always start simple with sit. you may need to push thier bottom down and when they sit, give them a treat. keep repeating until you feel you dont need to help them anymore. do this with all other tricks. but remember not to overwhelm them, so only one or two tricks a day. also the number one thing is get your dog used to the vaccum or they will bark and bark. i hope you found this useful!