Category: Our Home

  • All-Inclusive – Valentine’s Day Celebration

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    jdemontravel
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    Scrooge chose the wrong holiday. If there is anything to bah humbug it’s a holiday that buys into sharing a string of spaghetti, reconciling in the rain, intercepting an overseas flight for a marriage proposal. Overt gushing over your paramour hews toward a disastrous outcome. There are only so many opportunities in a lifetime to…

  • Art Inspired Home Design

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    jdemontravel
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    There are designer homes that follow a Starbuck’s model, despite the different location they all look the same. A formula consisting of high gloss furnishings, gilded bar cart, area rug and textiles in a trending pattern like Greek key or Moroccan trellis. Spaces that appear to be replicated and itemized from the very design books…

  • Simple Laundry Room Makeover

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    jdemontravel
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    Just because your washables are in need of attention does not mean your laundry room has to follow suit. Take the dread out of doing loads of laundry by revamping the space. While a laundry room makeover may seem like the last update needed in a project-heavy household, simple tweaks garner major results.  

  • Conceal Wires with a Media Cabinet

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    jdemontravel
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    There are some things that should never be revealed: bra straps, teeth stained with red wine, political fanaticism and television wires. The inevitable acceptance of granting a television access in the family room escalates into more cable channels, media devices and the uncertain welcome of xBox. A setup bulging with electronics cause cringe-worthy moments for…

  • Decorate with Statement Pieces

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    jdemontravel
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    While dominant furnishings ground a room it’s the supporting accents that make a lasting impression. To enter the annals of true design as an artistic, personalized form you follow a few basic principles, notably melding disparate pieces with an unified thread, and then abandon the rules. It begins with an inherent understanding of your style,…

  • Ultimate Winter Guide – 33 Activities

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    jdemontravel
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    Even the chirpiest optimist can become an Eeyore once winter doldrums hit, making any event an opportunity to bemoan the cold. To remedy the season’s challenged climate, we look to Scandinavia’s ritual of hygee that honors simple comforts and a healthful approach. Winter activities and an attention to nurturing rituals will transform the cold season into…

  • Holiday Helper – Reusable Gift Wrap

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    jdemontravel
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    Wrapping paper, scissors, gift wrap, tape and a sea of unwrapped presents, to some and the sight has the same reaction as surgical tools on a dental tray. Take the angst out of holiday wrapping by using reusable gift wrap options, such as fabric coverings or leftover boxes and decorative ribbon. You’ll save countless hours, no…

  • Ultimate Hot Chocolate Bar

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    jdemontravel
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    Hot chocolate deserves its proper pageantry, which means avoid adding boiling water to the contents of a foil-lined package. When made with real cocoa and embellished with an assortment of toppings, this warm winter mainstay will become your drink of choice no matter what the season. Delight your guests with the ultimate hot chocolate bar for…

  • Christmas Decorating Details with Taste

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    jdemontravel
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    When it comes to adding all the fa la la to a holiday home, the tree can become an afterthought. Becoming reacquainted with your decorations, along with other festive pieces used in all seasons, you can achieve Christmas decorating pizzaz simply and beautifully. The other holiday go-to that delights the senses is food. Christmas cookies,…

  • Simplify the Thanksgiving Celebration

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    jdemontravel
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    There is something intimidating by the carcass of a turkey with its epic preparation. The sides are another challenge and, god help them, some of your guests may expect marshmallows in their sweet potatoes or gravy made from the gizzards. Keep the bah humbug in the next holiday and focus on what makes the event…