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If your kitchen doesn’t inspire you to spend extra time in your kitchen experimenting with new recipes and to prepare mouth watering new dishes for your dinner parties, it’s a great idea to contemplate giving your tired old kitchen a modern makeover. If you’re excited by the idea of giving your kitchen a new lease on life, simply continue reading to discover a few inspirational kitchen makeover tips.

Tips on giving your kitchen a well needed, modern makeover:

1. Look for a few modern kitchen curtain ideas

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to totally transform the look and feel of your house’s kitchen is to replace your outdated curtains with a more modern option. As an example, if your kitchen currently features stock standard curtains, you can’t go wrong hanging easy to care for blinds in your kitchen. If you love technology, you may even be interested in having electronic kitchen blinds installed in your home.

Alternatively you may be interested in choosing modern kitchen curtains which have been designed to keep their color, even when they’re exposed to direct sunlight on a daily basis. As old faded curtains are sure to age your kitchen.

2. Consider replacing your flooring with tiles or linoleum

If money is no object, you may want to completely replace your kitchen’s current flooring option with high quality kitchen tiles. As examples, if you want your kitchen to have a contemporary look and feel you can never go wrong opting for stone tiles or marble tiles. Both of which will also add a touch of sophistication to your kitchen.

However if you don’t want to break the bank redesigning your kitchen, you can still achieve such a look by placing linoleum on top of your kitchen’s current flooring option. If you haven’t taken a look at modern linoleum options, you’re sure to be stunned as these days you won’t have any trouble selecting linoleum which looks just like hard wood floors or stone floors.

3. Place a versatile kitchen island in the middle of your kitchen

If your kitchen boasts plenty of empty space, that you’re looking to fill, it’s well worth placing a custom built kitchen island in the middle of your kitchen. Especially if you like creating large feasts for your friends and family members and often run out of counter space to cook your signature dishes!

As a bonus kitchen islands are incredible practical and versatile and can also be used as a breakfast bar, where you’ll be able to enjoy informal sit down meals with your household.

4. Use tiles to create a decorative backsplash for your kitchen

Another way to add a touch of style to your kitchen is to create your very own decorative backsplash for your kitchen. In order to protect your kitchen’s walls from food scraps and sauces and to add much needed color to your kitchen.

So if you’re interested in giving our kitchen a much needed makeover it’s well worth implanting some of the design tips listed above in your kitchen makeover plans.

If you’re itching to book your next overseas vacation and are still hunting for a travel destination which will take your breath away and which you’ll be raving about for years to come, simply continue reading to discover some of the hottest travel destinations to add to your list of possible options.

The Hottest Travel Destinations of 2019:

1. New Zealand

While the long flight to New Zealand may test your patience, once you spend a day in New Zealand you’ll realise that the long flight was worth it and that New Zealand is truly one of the most beautiful, pristine destinations to visit in the world.

Whilst in New Zealand you’ll be able to hike up a glacier, soak your body in a natural thermal pool, ski, snowboard and surf and view mud pools and geysers.

If you’re a movie fan, you’ll also recognise some of New Zealand’s sites from blockbuster movies such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and the Hobbit trilogy. If you visit Wellington the capital city of New Zealand, you’ll be able to visit the sight where the Rivendell scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed. Better yet one of the arches which was used to create the elven city of Rivendell is still standing in the middle of one of Wellington’s lush forests and is the perfect place to take a photo.

If you’re a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings films it’s also a great idea to drive to the small town of Matamata, which is located near Auckland, one of New Zealand’s largest cities, in order to tour Hobbiton which is the village where Frodo and Bilbo Baggins lived in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

2. India

If you have always wanted to gaze up at the splendour of the Taj Mahal for yourself or to take a luxurious old world train journey across a country, it’s well worth grabbing your passport and planning an exotic getaway of a lifetime to India.

If you’re keen on visiting India, you may want to plan your trip so that it coincides with one of India’s annual festivals. As an example, if you visit India during Diwali, which is also known as the festival of lights, you’ll be able to watch huge fireworks displays with locals and tourists alike whilst indulging in traditional Indian street foods.

Alternatively, it’s also a lot of fun to spend holi in India. What is Holi? Holi is an annual festival where everyone runs around the streets dressed in white. However don’t expect your clothes to stay white as the purpose of holi is to show brightly coloured powder at everyone who you meet and at the endow holi, you can expect to go back to your hotel covered in different coloured powder. So ensure to wear a white outfit that you don’t mind getting stained.

So if you’re looking for an exciting tourist destination to visit in 2019, you can’t go wrong booking a plane flight to either New Zealand or India both of which are full of charm.

If your little one loves the beach or enjoys pretending to be a swashbuckling pirate who sails the seven seas searching for buried treasure, why not turn your kid’s bedroom into a nautical or pirate themed bedroom. If you don’t know where to start and are in need of a little creative inspiration, simply continue reading to discover a few handy decor ideas.

How to design a nautical or pirate themed bedroom for your kids:

1. Build a boat shaped bookshelf

One way to inject a nautical theme into your kid’s room is to build a kids boat bookcase, that resembles a row boat that a pirate would use to get from their pirate boat to shore. When they’re looking for buried treasure. If you’re not handy with a hammer and a saw, don’t worry as you can always pay a local craftsman or woman or a carpenter to create a realistic boat bookshelf for your little captain.

2. Install a pirate themed bunk bed in your kid’s room

If you install a custom built pirate themed bunk bed in your kid’s room, you’ll be sure to make their year and to ensure that your kid is the envy of all of their friends. What does a pirate themed bunk bed look like, you may be wondering? A pirate themed bunk bed can be designed so that the top bunk resembles a pirate ship’s crows nest, by building a fake telescope on to the side of your kid’s top bunk bed.

3. Paint a sea or beach themed mural on one of the walls

In order to help your little one’s imagination run wild, simply pay an artist to paint a sea or beach themed mural on of your kid’s walls. As an example, you may want to have a desert island painted on one of the walls in your kid’s room, complete with a palm tree and an x marks the spot.

4. Purchase an oversized treasure chest for your kid to use as a toy box

If you don’t want your kid to leave all of your toys on their bedroom floor, you may be able to convince your kids to place their toys in a large oversized treasure chest shaped toy box. Alternatively, you can also use a treasured shaped chest to place some of your kid’s clothes. If your child has far too many clothes to keep in their closet and drawers.

5. Paint a pirate’s treasure map on your kid’s work desk

If your child has a work desk where they complete their homework after school, paint a treasure map on their work desk, which you can then paint over with a clear varnish. To ensure that your kid’s treasure map will be protected for years to come.

6. Hang a pirate flag up in your kid’s room

Lastly in order to complete your pirate themed bedroom, make sure to hang a pirate flag from the top of your kid’s bunk bed.

So if you’re a super parent whose looking to totally transform your kid’s bedroom, it’s well worth springing in action in order to create a one of kind pirate or nautical themed bedroom for your little swashbuckler!

If you’re in the process of redecorating your home office or study, continue reading to discover a few tips on how to transform your tried home office into an inviting, attractive and practical space to spend time in.

How to transform your home office from drab to fab:

1. Opt to place a modern minimalist bookcase in your home office

Whether you’re looking for extra storage space, shelves to display your favorite decorations such as photo frames or vases or would love to display some of your favorite books in your home office, it’s well worth investing in acquiring a modern fuss-free minimalist bookcase. Which is sure to stand the test of time and which will help you create a home office which boasts, a clean, inviting, modern vibe.

2. Display photos of your family members on the walls of your office

While placing a photo of your kids or of your parents on your work desk, may clutter your work desk, it’s a great idea to hang up a few carefully positioned photos of your loved ones on your home office’s walls. As an example, you may want to place four photo frames together to form a square. Instead of placing each photo frame in a traditional line. As you would if you were hanging up pictures in your home’s hallway.

3. Place a mini fridge or a coffee machine in your home office

If you can’t be bothered walking to your kitchen in order to grab refreshments such as a bottle of ice water or a piping hot coffee, do yourself a favor and purchase either a mini fridge or a coffee machine for your home office.

Not only will your home office look like it belongs to a boss but you’ll also be far more likely to work efficiently and productively if you keep properly hydrated and caffeinated as you work.

4. Place a textured rug in the middle of your home office

If you don’t want your home office to feel sterile and uninviting, simply place a textured rug such as a simple white or black shaggy rug in the middle of your home office.

5. Replace your home office’s lights

Ideally your home office should boast lots of light, so that your eyes won’t have to strain whilst you’re working away. Especially if you complete a lot of your work at night.

When it comes to selecting light fixtures for your home study make sure to opt for a model which is stylish and chic as well as practical. As style and practicality don’t have to be at odds which each other and it is possible to create a home office which is aesthetically pleasing as well as functional and practical.

6. Hang a large frameless mirror on the largest wall in your home office

In ordre to create the illusion that a small home office is far larger than it actually is, simply hang a large, frameless mirror in your home office.

So there you have it, 6 design tips which will help you create the stylish yet practical home office of your dreams!

If you’re looking for a few simple home and family ideas that will help make your home life a little more enjoyable, you’ve come to the right place.

Home & Family Ideas:

1. Consider turning one of the walls in one of your kid’s rooms into a giant blackboard

If one or more of your kids has an artsy streak, they’ll love being able to use a giant blackboard in their bedroom in order to play games such as noughts and crosses and to draw their own pictures and cartoons.

Thankfully turning a wall into a giant blackboard is a lot easier than you probably think. Simply purchase one pot of blackboard paint from your local hardware store and paint a coat of blackboard paint directly on top of the current paint in your kid’s room.

Just be warned that all of your kid’s friends will want to visit your home, in order to have at go at writing or drawing on your kid’s brand new giant blackboard feature wall.

2. Plan a weekly board game night or movie night

In a world where technology and social media rules most individual’s days, it’s a great idea to reconnect as a family by scheduling a weekly family night. Such as a fun board game night or a movie night. Where all laptops, smart phones and tablets are banned for the night. So that your family members can focus on bonding and creating lasting memories together, that you’ll all cherish for years to come.

3. Consider creating a chore chart for your family, which you can display on your fridge

In order to ensure that each member of your family completes an even number of chores each week, it’s well worth sticking up a chore chart for your family on your fridge. That way your kids won’t get into petty squabbles about whose turn it is to help you make dinner or to wash the dishes after dinner.

4. Have fun with water during the long hot summer months

Can you remember the simple joy of washing your family car with your parents and siblings as a kid and wetting your mom or dad or your brother or sister with a hose or running around your back yard trying to hit your siblings with well aimed water balloons? If so, it’s a great idea to try and recreate your childhood memories with your own kids.

Other activities which you may want to organise include water gun fights, races around water sprinklers and sliding sessions on a fun water slide.

5. Try and create family traditions that your kids will love

As an example, your kids may instantly take to the idea of helping you create Mickey Mouse or smiley face shaped pancakes on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

6. Make sure to read your kids bed time stories

In order to encourage your kids to develop a love of reading, it’s a great idea to red bedtime stories to your kids on a nightly basis.

So if you were on the hunt for a few home and family related tips, hopefully you’ve found a few tips with you’ll find useful.

If you’re about to tweak your budget in order to ensure that your budget is optimised for your individual needs or your household’s needs, simply continue reading to discover a few smart budgeting tips.

Smart budgeting tips:

1. Make sure that your budget for your monthly necessities first

While you may prefer to budget for new clothes or to save for a fun-filled tropical vacation before your bills and mortgage or rent, it’s important to remember to budget for your monthly necessities first. Examples of some of the items which you should budget for first each month include your rent or mortgage payments, your grocery bill, your power bill and your smart phone bill.

2. Make sure that your partner is well aware of your budgeting goals

If you’re currently in a committed relationship, it’s well worth explaining your budgeting goals to your partner, so they’ll be able to support you in making wise, financial decisions.

As an example, if one of your goals is to pay off your debt faster, in order to avoid having to pay thousands of dollars in interest, your partner may be more understanding of your budget and may invite you on dates that don’t require any money. Such as going for a romantic walk together along your favorite beach.

As an added benefit, if you keep your partner in the loop, when it comes to your monthly budget, they’ll also be less likely to feel offended if you’re unable to attend a social event with them. In order to keep to the budget which you’ve set out for yourself.

3. Put aside any extra money which you make for a rainy day

If you’re lucky enough to be given a pay rise or a bonus, instead of instantly trying to spend your pay rise or bonus, it’s well worth placing your extra money in a high interest bank account. So that if one month your budget is particularly tight, you’ll be able to supplement your income with the money which you’ve saved in order to be able to pay all of your bills on time.

4. Pay all of your bills before their due date

Speaking of bills, if you want to avoid paying extra money in late fees, make sure to pay your bills on time. Better yet, some companies also offer small discounts, if you pay your bills a week early. So it pays to do a little research to see whether you can save yourself valuable money by paying your bills in advance.

5. Check your budget at the end of each month, not just at the start of each month

You’d probably be surprised at the amount of individuals who fail to check their budget at the end of each month. However, doing so is a brilliant idea as you’ll be able to see whether or not you were able to keep to your budget and whether or not your budget is realistic.

Hopefully the tips listed above have helped you understand how making tiny changes to the way that you budget can have a positive affect on your everyday life!