Decor Portfolio

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‘I need my own space’ is a familiar cry of the late twentieth century. But very rarely do we relate this lament to our children’s lives. We are so often tempted to relegate them to the smallest rooms (where there is, in theory, less room to make a mess) and somehow we don’t imagine that their little lives could possible be so full of confusion and clutter as to require a well-thought-out, organized, private space all to themselves.
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1. What is a real estate contract and what should it state?

A real estate contract is a legally enforceable agreement to buy and sell a particular piece of real estate. The following is a list of some of the most important common terms: 1) the purchase price; 2) the mount of the down payment; 3) a mortgage contingency; 4) the anticipated sate and place of the closing; 5) a description of the property; 6) a list of all the personal property, appliances and fixtures included in the sale; 7) clauses concerning the ownership and permissible use of the property; and the responsibilities of the seller. In most cases, unless otherwise agreed, the seller’s attorney usually prepares the first draft of the contract of sale. Your local attorney prepares the rider provisions (attached to the contract) to protect you.

2. How much of a down payment is required?

The down payment or earnest money is a tangible indication of the buyers intent and may be a source of compensation to the seller in the even the buyer doesn”t carry out his promises. Generally 10% of the purchase price is acceptable to the seller, which is held by the seller’s attorney in escrow until closing. Any interest earned on the escrow goes to the seller unless the down payment is returned to the buyer.

3. What happens if I cant get a mortgage?

Many real estate contracts include a mortgage contingency where, rather than risk losing your deposit money, you make your offer to buy subject to obtaining a loan. If you do not see this contingency in the contract, make sure you bring this to your attorney’s attention so it may be added. To further protect yourself against having to accept a loan “at any price”, the terms on which you will accept a mortgage should be stated in the contract. If you cannot obtain such financing, the seller will have to return your deposit and begin searching for another buyer. Sometimes an “all cash” offer (i.e. No mortgage contingency) is a way to purchase property, especially in a case where there is more than one bidder. If you make an “all cash” offer, make sure you can close title without a mortgage. If you cant close because you do not have liquid assets, you would lose you contract deposit.

4. What can I expect about the condition of the house at the time of closing?

The condition of the house should be the same as it was when you signed the contract of sale. In addition, the contract should provide that on the sate of closing all electrical, plumbing, heating systems and appliance should be in working order and that the roof and basement be free of leaks. Just prior to the closing, the house should be in broom clean condition. An important aspect of closing is that prior to the closing, you should make an appointment to inspect the property for any changes and detects. If anything is out of order, you should let your attorney know before or at the closing.

5. Is a termite report necessary?

A termite inspection and report are necessary to detect any signs of termites and/or wood-eating insects. The contract should provide that a termite inspection can be performed within ten days of the contract date and the sale should be contingent upon a satisfactory report from a licensed pest control inspector. If the report does show infestation or damage, the contract should have a provision stating that the seller will pay for any treatment deemed necessary by the report (up to a certain amount) or the purchase can cancel the contract.

6. When is a water quality report necessary?

If you are purchasing a property that has a private water supply such as well, it is important that you obtain a water-quality report. The cost of such a report is minimal and will determine if the water is suitable for human consumption. The requirement should be addressed in the contract of sale.

7. Why do I need the seller to supply a current Certificate of Occupant?

The most important reason to get a certificate of occupancy is to make certain there are no illegal decks, additions, pool or other structures on the premises. If there are, the contract should provide that the seller has to take the necessary steps to legalize these improvements.

8. Can I put a kitchen in my pool house?

Most local ordinances prohibit living quarters, usually defined as areas with cooking and/or sleeping facilities, in pool houses. However, some accessory structures pre-date the code requirements and are therefore exempt or “grand fathered”. In some cases, a “wet bar” is permitted allowing a sink and refrigerator (but no cooking range).

9. Can I use my garage as a guest cottage?

Most local zoning ordinances prohibit the creating on guesthouses or guest cottages in accessory structures, such as a detached garage. However, most will permit improvements of an attached garage, either on a first or second floor, to accommodate guest rooms with a bathroom. Some detached garages may be grand fathered as guest cottages.

What luxury – a room dedicated to quiet contemplation, to academic pursuits, to more pleasure!  Even in these days of information technology, the book remains our vital link with history and other worlds, and whereas books are considered our ‘friends’, it is rare indeed to ear of anyone having a similar relationship with a personal computer.  Although a library may be considered a workroom where serious research, study and perhaps writing are carried out, the title ‘library’ also conjures up a picture of an altogether more pleasurable space: warm and welcoming, a comfortable cocoon in which to while away the hours.
Your choice of color scheme can do much to contribute to this feeling of cosseting. The selection of traditional, deep, jewel colors, – ruby, sapphire and emerald – or warm earth tones – terracotta, sand, clay and volcanic rock – will give your room an intimate feeling as well as suggesting security and tradition.  Lining the walls, the books themselves may well provide the starting point to inspire your scheme. By echoing the colors of the book spines you will give your room a cohesive feel and you will create the illusion that the books are part of the structure of your room.  The books themselves will provide plenty of interest, so you may opt to forgo strong patterns that may fight for your attention and distract from the ‘stars’ of the room.  Instead you may like to concentrate on incorporating an interesting variety of textures.  Imagine your shiny book spines against a background of dark green felt walls; rough natural sea grass flooring is underfoot, green-and-red plaid, heavy linen curtains grace the window worn, glossy, red leather chairs stand in an inviting group.  A log fire blazing brightly in the grate completes the picture.
Lighting can so easily enhance or spoil this wonderful ambience that you have gone to such trouble to create. The central pendant light is to be avoided – it will flatten all the textures and you will lose all feeling of intimacy. Instead choose several individual lights positioned in the lower portion of the room – table lamps, desk lamps, standard lamps – all these fittings will create polls of light that will impart a warm feeling.  It is also important for the shelves to be well lit so that books can be located, removed and examined on the spot.  Ceiling-fixed recessed wall washers will bathe the shelves in light or, as an alternative, you might consider library lights fixed to the uprights of the shelving units themselves.  Strip lights behind baffles, fixed within the bookcase will highlight attractive books but are to be avoided if the bookcase is antique as the routing of wiring is likely to cause damage.
Of the furnishings in your library, a comfortable chair is paramount.  This could be upholstered in either fabric or leather and needs to provide arm rests at a good height for reading comfortably.  A high-backed chair (such as a wing chair) is wonderful for resting the head and for shielding the occupant from draughts.  Positioned near a window, it will have the benefits of good natural light for reading and perhaps a pleasant view for idle moments.  A footrest will ensure perfect relaxation.  It is also useful to include a desk and a more upright chair (possibly on castors) in your furniture arrangement.  Other items that might be added include library steps to reach high-up books, a side table by your favorite chair to hold a lamp and possibly a drink, a coffee table to display decorative books and a magazine rack for current periodicals.
There are numerous methods of storing books and much will depend upon the layout and size of your room.  By locating shelves around the perimeter of the room (not forgetting the dead area above the doorways) you will maximize the space, but in a larger room bookcases can be utilized to divide the space into different zones for varying activities.  When planning storage, remember that books come in all shapes and sizes, so allow for some extra-deep/tall spaces.  For a more decorative look include ornaments on some shelves.
What style or theme could you choose for your library? Most popular is the ‘gentlemen’s club’ look – lots of antique or reproduction furniture, club fenders before an open fire, leather upholstery with brass nailing, heavy velvet curtains and rich dark colors.  Victorian style includes many of these elements and would be a most suitable theme, especially if your house is of the period.  But there is no reason why a more modern style could not be adapted for this room.  Lighter colors, streamlines shelving and modern light fittings could give your library a totally different yet no less attractive appearance.
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{mosimage}The great technology, revolution of the latter part of the twentieth century has impacted upon our lives in no less a way than the industrial revolution on the lives of the people in the mid-nineteenth century. All the commuting, the monolithic head office, the secretaries, the separation from home and family – these embedded life threads are gradually being consigned to the history books.  Our concerns for quality of air, of work time and of family like have ensured their demise.
The home office, for many, provides the perfect solution.  It permits you to work variable hours to suit your lifestyle and that of your family in agreeable surroundings and ensures that little time is wasted on travel.
Your home working area can adopt many guises depending upon the type of work undertaken and the space available.  Whatever the set-up, your office should offer you the easiest possible method of working.  With the working week averaging some forty hours, it is clearly worth spending some time on planning the space where it is going to take place.
Distractions in the home can come from many directions – interruptions from family members, demands created by other activities happening in the same space, callers at the door and so on.  For your office to be productive in these circumstances, you will need to isolate yourself to some extent from what is going on around you.  This may involve housing the office in a separate building, attaching locks to the door, installing separate telephone lines or even building in some form of soundproofing.
The professional home office should reek of efficiency.  Not only will this impress the visiting bank manager, business colleagues, representatives and clients, but it will also help you make the transition from domestic to work more so much more easily. Creating a dedicated work area that is furnished to match and which is not used for any other purpose can best engender this atmosphere.  The ideal office has its own entrance and cloakroom nearby.  Coffee-making facilities and comfortable seating for guests are an added bonus.
Decorations should generally tend towards the more serious colors (neutrals and deep being particularly suitable) and distracting patterns used with caution.  Many suitable types of flooring are available and selection will most probably be determined by budget.  Cord carpets are reasonably priced; they are hardwearing and will not be easily damaged by chair castors (less hard-wearing floorings can be protected by clear plastic mats positioned beneath desk chairs).  Soft furnishings are best kept restrained – simple clean lines are discreet trims to give a tailored finish.  Should funds be limited, a basic cloth such as tickling, made up with trims of petersham ribbon, could be used to great effect.
Lighting needs to be well targeted and care should be taken to ensure that glare is not caused by the reflection of light fittings on a computer screen.  Remember also to light storage areas and bookshelves.  To make best use of any available daylight, site desks directly in front of windows (ensuring that these are screened in some way if the view beyond is like to cause a distraction).
It may be tempting, in this domestic environment, to incorporate residential furnishings.  These will certainly make the office appear more homely, but for comfort and efficiency, purpose-made office furniture is recommended. A computer stand on castors to house monitor, keyboard, printer, paper and so on is ideal and will accommodate all these items at the right height.  Your chair is equally, if not more, important.  This should be well made, ergonomically designed and adjustable so that your sitting position is not injurious to your posture.
Nothing detracts more from the appearance of an office than for every surface to be spilling over with paperwork, files and samples. Far from it promoting an image of endeavor, it demonstrates that the owner is disorganized and consequently inefficient.  This problem can be overcome by the provision of sufficient, conveniently placed and well-designed storage space.  Storage units can, or course, be in the form of freestanding cupboards and shelves, but look much neater and more streamlined if built in.  Should the room already contain fitted wardrobes, the interiors of these could be converted: the rails could be replaced with suitable partitioning or, if the room is to be reused as a bedroom in the future, perhaps a free-standing framework could be incorporated into the wardrobe.
It may be that you are not professionally employed, yet still need some sort of management center to run your personal life and an active household efficiently. This office could well be based upon nothing more than a telephone and a file, and findings a suitable location should not cause a problem.  The bay window of a bedroom, the space in the hallway under the stairs, a desk un the library, a recess in the dinning room, a cupboard in a rarely used guest room – these may all be capable of housing a mini office.
Much can be done to disguise work and storage elements in a multi-functional room.  Files can be bound in attractive wallpaper; a trestle table can be draped with a full-length cloth that co-ordinate with your room scheme which conceals beneath in your work paraphernalia, and pin boards can be made of attractive material trellised with some pretty ribbons.
 As an alternative to making your work accessories good to look at, you might consider concealing your whole area within a cupboard, behind a screen or masked from view behind a curtain or blind.

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{mosimage}You may be lucky enough to have a perfectly behaved teenager living in your home or you may belong to one of the millions of families with typical, slightly out-of control offspring. The teenager will probably want to make to much noise, be unlikely to see merits of being tidy and have ideas on decoration that involve sticking things other than wallpaper on walls. He/she may develop into a proud homeowner in the future, but meanwhile, accepting that ‘teenagers will be teenagers’ will go a long way towards harmonious living in the home you share with a child-adult going through a prolonged youth crisis.
 Deciding upon just how much isolation each of you wants or thinks is desirable is a matter for negotiation and the outcome will probably determine which room in the house is selected for the teenager’s room.  A converted loft or basement could provide an ideal self-contained space where neither party’s life impinges too greatly on the other – a place where friends can be entertained, noise made ad privacy maintained.
 The teenager’s involvement in deciding upon the decoration of the room is very important if he/she is to have any respect for his/her surroundings and if he/she is to be encouraged to maintain them well.  Teenage years are a great time for experimentation and, although mistakes will surely be made, it is hoped that lessons will also be learned.  An interior designer specializing in young people’s rooms has been quoted as saying: “Ask them what they want, then bargain!” This seems a fairly sensible approach to adopt.
 As in the youngster child’s playroom, it is a good idea to create zones for different activities within the teenager’s den.  In the sleeping area, duvets are an easy solution to bed making and you may wish to make provisions for friends staying overnight – say, bunk beds or a day bed that can also be used for seating during the day. Hammocks strung across the beams in a loft ceiling are a fun idea for the teenager with frequent guests.
An ideal study area would be located in the vicinity of a good source of natural light and wood have a number of electrical sockets positioned nearby. Space for a work surface, a bookcase and housing for computer equipment should be allowed for.  A flexible storage unit is also a good idea for accommodating a television and audio equipment.
 The provision of personal bathing facilities within the room itself will free more bathroom time for the rest of the family. Most teenagers seem to prefer a shower to a bath and, as this is more economical and takes up less space, the idea could be encouraged.  A cubicle might be housed within a wall of deep cupboards or in a small room annexe.
 Sometimes it seem as though teenagers think of else apart from their clothes, so a dressing space will be an important area of the room. A walk-in closet is ideal: it provides lots of space and can be shut out if view at all.  Alternatively, large cupboards with masses of hanging space and a full-length mirror could be provided.  A system of wire baskets within a metal framework works well for the quick ‘filling’ or items of clothing within a cupboard, and a rail on castors behind a curtain makes a cheap wardrobe substitute.
 Decoration ideas are soon outgrown, so a flexible scheme is likely to be the most successful. Plain wall of an oil-based paint will provide a good background on to which posters and so on can be attached (and replaced when no longer in favor) and non-themed soft-furnishing fabrics will give the room décor longevity.  A carpet with thick underlay will help to prevent noise pollution.
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{mosimage}Anyone who has cared for children of between the ages of one and five years knows all too well just what are the important things to remember when planning a playroom. For a mother to remain relaxed about her child spending time in this room supervised or unsupervised, she needs to know that the child cannot damage himself/herself of the room and that e/she will be entertained for a reasonable length of time.  It is also important that, after playtime the process of cleaning up can be carried out with the minimum of effort, mother and child both having better things to occupy them. At this age of maximum mobility and minimum attention span these are tough demands.
A gate as well as a door at the entrance will help ensure that the child is contained within the room and within earshot when the mother’s back is turned. To lessen noise from the playroom, install plenty of soft finishes within room.
The creation of zones for different activities will help punctuate the child’s day as he/she moves from one activity to another, and will help with the organization of storage associated with each occupation.  For example, in one corner a table and chairs might be positioned on plastic sheeting to protect the flooring and craft materials stored nearby.  Other areas might be dedicated to eating, quiet story telling, play-acting, resting and so on.
To enable you to keep the room in reasonable order, plenty of storage facilities will be needed.  In general these are best housed in fitted units – apart from them being more stable and less likely to trap tiny fingers, such units will give the room a neater finish.  A blackboard might be attached to the front of one, a pin board to another, and perhaps a third carry a plastic mirror.  Any freestanding units, so long as they are well weighted, could be used to divide areas within the room.  Additional storage could be provided in chests, in boxes on castors, in baskets or even in a hammock (especially if this were to fit in with the theme of your room – for instance, ‘Treasure Island’).  If the child is also to use the room for sleeping, a bed and some kind of wardrobe will, of course, be needed.  Although initially a child might not need hanging space, it is wise to allow for this as he/she will soon be into clothing that will require more than just shelves. A really useful tip for a playroom is to fix a pegboard with hooks, as found in Shaker homes, at dado-rail height. This could be used for hanging clothing, small chairs or drawstring bags, or for displaying decorative items.
 As children mature they need the company of others to develop their social skills fully, and so it is important to make provision for visiting friends.  A small table with several chairs where they can gather is a good idea – useful for both play and meal times.  And as children seem to simply love to stay over, you might consider bunk beds or some other novel sleeping solution.
 The decoration of a playroom can be great fun – you’ll be amazed at what can be achieved with a staple gun, a few meters of fabric, some pots of paint, several sheets of MDF and a fertile imagination.  Create your own circus tent, underwear world or Indian camp! An alternative approach would be not to have a specific theme in mind but to use strong bright colors as a background for constantly changing visual shows.  These temporary decorations could be attached to walls be means of removable adhesive, mobiles could be hung from the ceiling and prints suspended from a picture rail. To help develop your child’s taste ask him/her to make selections from a range of ideas you deem suitable.

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{mosimage}Anticipating the arrival of a new baby can be such an exciting time and the temptation to concentrate on the pretty details of the nursery decoration hard to resist.  However, if your baby is to be healthy, comfortable and safe, it is essential that adequate thought be given to some practical elements before anything else.
In addition it should be remembered that the small immobile bundle of joy will, in a matter of months, double in size and will attain a high degree of mobility, not to mention curiosity.  Although few electrical sockets will be required in the nursery at this stage, they should be planned for with an eye to the future and those not currently required can be blanked off until needed.
Temperature is an important factor for the comfort of your baby.  Controllable central-heating radiators are probably the most successful way of safely heating a child’s room, but these should be out of reach if possible, either hidden behind an item of furniture or protected by a guard.  It is often forgotten that a young baby is just as vulnerable to overheating as to the cold.  For this reason it is important to provide adequate ventilation (at a safe height) and to ensure that a baby-s cot is positioned well away from any direct source of heat.
A washbasin with running water in a nursery is often considered a luxury, but when it is seen in the context of the lifetime of the room, the benefits become more evident.  The nursery may soon become the child’s playroom, then a teenager’s bedroom.  Finally it may even become a guest room.  In each of these guises the inclusion of a washbasin could be considered a bonus. If the basin is housed within a vanity unit, shelves beneath can be used at this first stage for the storage of the baby’s necessities and later perhaps for storing toys.
Few items of furniture are needed in the nursery of a very young baby.  A cot, chest of drawers (the top of which, when covered with padding, could be used for changing the baby) and an easy chair with low arms for the nursing mother are all that are required.  Shelves for displaying pictures, toys and books help to decorate the room. A trolley to house the baby’s nappies, cream, powder, a bucket and so on is a useful addition and can be put to other use when no longer required in the nursery.  Later on, as the baby develops, a small wardrobe, high chair and playpen might be purchased.
The decoration of the nursery need not involve great expense.  Plain painted walls that allow for surface decorations to be added and changed as the child’s matures are a good idea.  Pictures, stencils, mobiles, paper borders and pasted cutouts are all decorations that will inspire the imagination of your child.  Colors should be right and cheerful, and in these enlightened times there is no need to be restrained by the ‘blue for a boy, pink for a girl’ dictum.
When it comes to floors, hygiene, ease of maintenance and the child’s comfort and safety can all be served by laying such materials as cushioned vinyl, cork or hark wood (so long as it is splinter less).  The addition of easily washed play mats will soften the hard floor effect.
It is preferable for curtains not to drop to the floor as the child’s to support himself/herself may well use these.  The addition of a blackout blind or curtain lining may help you child to sleep in the easily evening and will help prevent him/her awakening with the dawn.  
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Figuring out where to stow things, especially odd-shaped and bulky items, is a challenge in every part of the house.
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From the time that television first became popular in American homes some forty-odd years ago, it has presented a perpetual challenge: hot to assimilate it into living spaces without letting it dominate them.
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