Victorian Playhouse- The Ultimate Gift For Little Girls

August 20, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Recently, my friend had invited me and my kids to her 6 year old daughter’s birthday party. At the party, after the cake-cutting, wish-making was all over, my friend and her husband told their daughter that there was a surprise gift for her birthday. Then they asked her to close her eyes and lead her to their perfectly maintained backyard. When the girl opened her eyes, she was not the only one to squeal in delight and joy. Almost everyone in the party including myself gasped in wonder at the beautiful, one of-a-kind gift; it was a gorgeous victorian playhouse.
The playhouse was about 8ft tall and equally wide. It was painted in a gorgeous pink color (which my friend had painted herself) with 2 dutch doors-one for adults and a smaller one for children. There were charming shutters with working windows and even flower boxes on the house. The windows even had safety glass and screens for protection. There was a charming dormer above the kid-sized door with a decorative heart accent. The gingerbread trim and the dutch doors made the playhouse look like a fairytale house. The exterior was built with durable siding materials so that the playhouse would be protected and insulated all year long.
My friend’s daughter and her friends were awe-struck. They all ran into the playhouse to inspect and enjoy it. I had always admired my friend’s backyard with its pretty landscaping and colorful flowers. The playhouse seemed to enhance the beauty of the backyard, giving it a fairytale feeling. I was sure that my friend’s little girl felt like a fairy-tale princess! Later, I told my friend how pretty the playhouse was and asked her about the details. She said that the playhouse came in individual parts and had to be assembled, (which was easy enough even if it took some time), the exterior paint could be selected according to your choice. She agreed that the playhouse was slightly expensive but it was a small price compared to the pure look of joy and delight in her daughter’s eyes. That feeling of happiness, she said, was priceless.
I was sure that my friend’s backyard with its picture perfect playhouse would be the talk of her neighbors for quite some time. The playhouse would be occupied with little girls playing and imagining themselves as little princesses! It was indeed the ultimate gift that a little girl could wish for.

8x8 Victorian Playhouse

‘Time-Out’ Chairs- Every Kid’s Room Needs One

August 19, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

There are some essential furniture that every kid’s room needs- a bed, table and chair, storage shelves, dresser, crib and diaper changing station for babies and toddlers, maybe even a kids room divider for decoration. But there is one furniture which I feel is very important for all kids rooms-and that is a kids ‘time-out’ chair.
Every kid would have got a ‘time-out‘ at one time or the other for being naughty, or not doing their chores/homework, not listening to parents or elders and so on. Even parents who are generally very lenient with their kids would agree that giving a ‘time-out’ seems to be the most effective tactic to make a child realise that what he/she did was not correct and to give them some quiet, alone time to think about the consequences. It encourages good behaviour in kids. The best way to do this would be to have a specific time-out chair, probably in the kids room away from TV, computer, game systems etc. These time-out chairs can be effective in schools and day-care centers also.
There are different types of time-out chairs available in the market these days. There are chairs available specifically for boys or girls, rockers and even benches which can be put in a safe place outdoors away from all their favorite playthings. Some have the words ‘time out’ or ‘oops’ written on them. Some of them are decorated with animal figures like bears, frogs etc. Time-out chairs for girls look very pretty in pink and heart engraved on them. In fact, they are so pretty that girls might want to use them even without a time-out! There are also chairs which say ‘time to read’ and have a small compartment on the chair’s hands to keep books and a working clock to keep track of time.
So, get your kids a time-out chair and by doing so, you’ll not only encourage good behaviour in them but also add a piece of decor to the room.

Levels of Discovery Time Out Chair With A Heart                                                              Boys Time to Read Rocker

Kids Room Dividers- Kindle Your Child’s Creativity With a Kids Activity Room Divider

July 3, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Room dividers have been in existence for many centuries. History has documented the use of room dividers in ancient palaces of India, china etc. Nowadays, they are used for decorative purposes, or to divide a very large living area into 2 or more portions or to provide privacy in studio apartments, bedrooms etc. But, other than all these uses, there is a room divider which serves a very innovative cause, namely education for kids. The room divider which we are going to learn about is the kids activity room dividers.

Room Dividers

Scientists have long discovered that children start observing and learning new facts very early in their childhoods. This is the reason why learning toys for babies as young as 6 months old are becoming so popular. It is also a fact that kids learn better when something is taught in a relaxed atmosphere in the way of fun activities. This is the exact purpose that a kids activity room divider serves. Kids activity room dividers can be used in homes, schools, daycare centers etc.
There are a variety of kids room dividers for kids of all ages. For babies and toddlers there are alphabetical play panel room dividers with alphabets and colorful pictures written on them and dinosaur play panel dividers with pictures of colorful dinosaurs. Then, there is the beautiful baby corral room divider with 5 panels including a transparent panel, a mirror panel, a see thru mesh panel, a gable panel and a gable window panel which give limitless options for babies to enjoy while at the same time providing a safe playpen. The 3 way mini/maxi mirror room divider has 3 panels fitted with shatter resistant acrylic mirrors which any baby would find attractive. The big screen super set room divider is the ultimate divider for a childcare center. It is fitted with four supersized plain color panels combined with one transparent, one fuzzy loop, one see thru mesh, and one art display panel to make an eight screen super set which will keep the children occupied in fun play for a long time. All these room dividers are made of wood, vinyl, plastic and nylon, very durable to withstand wear and tear, sturdy so that they do not fall down and have rounded edges so there is no danger of babies cutting their hands or knees on sharp edges. They are mostly light weight which makes it easier to set up or fold away when not needed.
All these kids room dividers have multiple functionalities. They are educational, accelerating the learning process of babies, they provide hours of fun play to babies and they are also colorful and instantly decorate the kids bedrooms and play areas.

Kids Room Dividers- Create an Environment of Learning and Fun For Kids

July 2, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Room dividers are generally used for decoration, privacy purposes and for dividing a larger room into two or more portions. But kids room dividers have an additional use and that is to provide a fun and safe environment for learning and creativity.
Kids room dividers are available in many types, sizes, colors and are made of wood, vinyl, plastic, nylon etc. Room dividers for babies generally come in colorful panels with alphabets, pictures, mirrors etc which grab their attention and provide a safe place to play. Room dividers for toddlers, preschoolers and older kids have more functionalities and help children to write, learn, draw etc. For example, the tri-panel room divider has three panels of write and wipe dry erase boards which makes a wonderful way to write or draw. Similarly, the read and write room divider has write and wipe dry erase panels where the kids can practise their writing or even show off their artwork. This comes with open shelves where the writing supply can be stored. Other dividers which encourage writing or drawing include the twin mobile divider with double side write and wipe-out board, double sided flannel/chalkboard divider etc. If the kids have immense interest in drawing and painting, they can use the see-thru easel room divider with paint caddies which allows them to paint on both sides. There is also a kids room divider which can showcase their talent. It is called the play panel art display room divider, which comes in different sizes. This divider has pouches in which to display art and can also store art supplies.

Room Dividers

Maybe your kids have lots of imagination and are interested in putting up plays. Then the storytime puppet theater room divider is the most suitable divider for them. This comes with two cloth curtains, with name of the show written on the chalkboard marquee and the showtime indicated by a toyclock. This room divider would bring out the imagination and creativity of your kids and would be a real hit for group or sleepover parties. Similar to this are the multi-play folding screen room divider or theater, costume center room divider, space-saver multiplay room divider, imagination station divider or puppet theater, mobile make-believe room divider and market stall room divider. All these dividers are a sure bet for hours of fun and creativity.
So, depending upon the age of your kids, get a suitable room divider for them and watch them enjoy themselves and entertain their friends. In addition to entertaining the kids and accelerating their learning process and creativity, these kids room dividers are a colorful piece of decor for the kids rooms.


Different Types of Birdhouses

June 27, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

There are different types of birdhouses available in a variety of shapes, designs, materials and color. There wooden birdhouses, metal birdhouses, ceramic birdhouses etc. Before getting a new birdhouse for your garden, decide on what type of birdhouse would suit your garden decor. Interior decor for a house is important. But the exterior decor of your house, like your garden and the landscaping is what your neighbors see everyday and therefore would show your taste for decoration and your personality. Also, the size of the birdhouse should be a match for the size of your house. People who are good at woodwork and designing can even make their own birdhouse. It could even be a fun project with kids.

Cleanliness is very important for a birdhouse. An unclean birdhouse could harm the birds living there. So, make sure to keep the birdhouse cleaned after the nesting season is over. The birdhouses can be cleaned with water and soap or disinfectants.

Bird House For Beautiful Garden

June 27, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Summer is here and gardens are filled with beautiful flowers and colorful birds. Everyone’s garden would have got a face lift with classic landscaping and garden decor accessories. To add beauty to the garden and also attract colorful birds to your garden, consider adding a birdhouse. Birdhouses come in different shapes, sizes, colors and materials.

Birdhouses can be made of wood, metal, glass and even ceramic. When considering to buy a birdhouse, to give a bird a new home, we need to decide on two factors. The first is what bird frequents our garden the most. Smaller birds like sparrows or wrens would prefer smaller birdhouses in which they feel secure from predators. These birdhouses can be freestanding or hung from a tree. There are many designs of birdhouses available. They can be single story or 2/3 stories. Wooden birdhouses are crafted in various designs like Victorian houses, log cabins, churches, diners, fishing cabins, lighthouses etc. Practically, any design of building that comes to mind can be made into a birdhouse. Ceramic ones come in animal shapes, bird shapes and even shapes like flowers, hats etc. They are painted with all sorts of colors from rustic to the eye-popping pink. But keep in consideration that birds may not like too bright colors as they attract predators also very easily.

Kids Room Dividers- Multipanel Kids Room Dividers

June 24, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

The folding multi-panel kids room dividers can help in dividing a large kids bedroom into two portions to clearly define a playing and sleeping area. They can also help to add privacy when the bedroom is shared by two or more kids. Organizing a kid’s bedroom also becomes easier with a kids room divider as it provides storage areas. When a kids room divider is kept against a wall, the area between the divider and the wall could also be used for storing toys and other kids stuff.
Room Dividers
Finally, these kids room dividers can also be used just for decoration and to brighten up the kids bedroom with their lively colors and with the kids’ own artwork. Dividers with colorful dinosaur artwork and mirrors would keep little kids engaged in playing for a long time.
The kids room dividers are also very safe to play with as they have rounded edges and corners. They are also fitted with smooth rolling casters which make it easy to move even by the kids themselves.

Kids Room Dividers- Perfect for Decoration and Learning.

June 24, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Different types of room dividers are available in the market these days. They can be classified as decorative dividers, privacy screens, outdoor/indoor etc. One such divider which is catching everyone’s attention these days are the kids room dividers. They can be used in schools, daycares, or your own kids play rooms and bedrooms. A kids room divider can keep your child busy for hours as they are not only great for playtime but they also help to create an educational environment. These kids dividers are great for decoration, to split up a room, or for function with fun games or writing boards.

Room Dividers 

There are many uses for a kids room divider. There are single panel and multipanel kids room dividers. Single panel kids dividers are used mainly for educational purposes and make a perfect activity center for the kids since they come with interesting features like bookshelves, whiteboards, art easels or chalkboards. This helps to kindle the imagination of a child and help them to write, draw or paint on the divider. There are many educational kids dividers like tri-panel room dividers with write-n-Wipe dry erase surface, read and write room divider which combines a writing area with book storage, see-thru easel room divider with paint caddies, 3 way maxi mirror divider and much more.

Backpack Beach chairs

June 19, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

  Summer is here and many of us will be heading to the beach to escape from the intense heat. There is nothing more enjoyable than having a day of fun at the beach especially if you live in very hot places like California, Arizona etc. When we go to the beach, either for just one day or for a week’s vacation, we need to be properly equipped from our clothing, sunscreen etc down to the beach chair that we take to relax.

For  our family’s latest trip to the beautiful Myrtle beach,  I purchased a very nice and convenient beach chair. It was one type of backpack beachchairs with comfortable carrying straps. The chair is high-backed and has contoured pillow headrest which helped us to lounge comfortably or even take a short nap. The chair has four reclining positions, a cupholder and plenty of backpack storage space. Since it could be carried like a backpack, it was very convenient and could be used not only at the beach but also for camping, hiking etc.
BeachChairs

Along with this beachchair, we also got the ‘Rio wonderwheeler’. It looks like a cart made of mesh fabric with steel frame. It is provided with wheels to make it portable and the handle is cushioned so that it would not hurt our hands while pushing. The wonderwheeler has plenty of cargo space. We practically dumped all our items including the kids playthings like frisbees, footballs, a kite, the cooler with plenty of soft drinks, towels etc. When not in use, it could be folded.                                          

 

     Rio wonder wheeler

 

Wind Chimes- Sound of Music

May 16, 2008 by eleganthomedecors

Life is becoming a monotonous cycle of work, very hectic and filled with pressures at home and office. So, we all need to get some peaceful time to unwind from our hectic schedules. Every person has his or her own method of relaxation. For me, relaxation is when I rest my feet on the garden hammock and close my eyes and almost go into meditation state, with the wind playing soft melodies on the wind chime hung from a tree in my garden.

Wind chimes are made of hollow or solid metal, glass, or wooden tubes and are usually hung outside a house in the porch, from a window inside the house, or in a tree in the garden and are intended to be played by the wind. The wind chime is a very basic form of musical instrument and the music is created by the chimes striking against each other. Wind chimes have been around for centuries and they have a very long history. There are different types of wind chimes made of different materials and of different sizes. The materials used may be glass, metal, wood like bamboo, plastic, sea shells etc. Some people even make wind chimes from uncommon items like plastic pipes, bottle lids, stones etc though the music produced by these items would not be as pleasing as that produced by glass or metal.

Most people believe that the wind chimes originated in the far east especially in China and is an important part of Feng Shui. They believe that wind chimes can bring good luck to the homes or business in which they are used. The concept of Feng Shui is gaining popularity in western countries and here in the USA; So, nowadays, we can see more and more people using these wind chimes in their home and business. Whatever the reason, nobody can deny the fact that the gentle sound produced by the tinkling of wind chimes definitely brings music to our ears and peace and relaxation to our minds.