Relationships | Lifestyle Assistance

Hire an Interior Designer For Your Home Or Office

You imagine the possibilities of a new home or office, and you ask how in the world to make your vision a reality. You’ve got a full-time job, relationships, a family and lots of other commitments. You’re a middle-class person and you’ve learned to leverage your time. How do you make your new space beautiful, on time, using the budget you’ve got?

Think about hiring an interior designer. Using the skills of a designer isn’t the privilege of the rich and famous or the upper class.

Mary Rogers, an interior designer, thinks you should consider using a professional who will work with you. “Remember, you’re the boss. You aren’t giving anybody carte blanche to buy anything without your approval. You are going to share your idea of what you want the space to look like, what colors you prefer, what furniture you already have that you plan to use. You want to find a professional who will listen, then provide you with a plan that details the steps, the costs and the projected look of the space.”

How do you find a professional? The best way may be to ask friends for their suggestions. If you’ve visited a friend’s house and particularly admired their design, tell them so. Ask if they worked with an interior designer. Get referrals from at least three people whose experience and feedback you trust. Then interview the interior designers and make notes.

Rogers recommends speaking frankly with the designers about your budget. You want no surprises, and aren’t seeking someone who’s unwilling to execute your vision. Ask each professional for additional references, at least two or three clients who have worked with the designer within the past six months. If the interior designer resists, cites client confidentiality or asks you to consider only a sheaf of handwritten references, pass. You must ask questions of prior clients to learn if this is the interior designer for you.

“Plan ahead,” Rogers recommends, “You’ll be happy you did.”

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Interior design

Develop Great Personal and Working Relationships

Have you ever wanted to make your own host gift to demonstrate what a creative, thoughtful guest you are? In this technology-focused age, think about your host’s lifestyle. Your hosts will think you spent and labored long.

If you’re focused on developing relationships in business or personal life, giving your host or hostess a personalized favor conveys thoughtfulness. Create wondrous gifts that demonstrate your creativity without spending a lot of money. If you live on a budget, extend your generosity without extending your wallet. Start friendship traditions with small steps.

Know your host. What are his passions? What makes him smile? If your host loves cooking, buy an extravagant-looking (but not -costing) bowl or plate. If you browse sale racks at high quality discount outlets, you can find this sort of item for $1.00-2.00. If your hostess loves to serve the latest martinis, buy a beautiful glass or two to use as containers. Then, depending on the goodies used to fill them, include hand-written recipes on scrolls (tied with ribbon), easy mixes (cool drink mixes), and utensils.

When you have arranged your “basket”, wrap it with clear or colorful cellophane, secure with curling ribbon (multiple colors look lush and people always seem to comment about how they can’t curl ribbon.) Use scissors just sharp enough, then pull the ribbon across the grain to make springy curls. No need to buy costly pre-made ribbons!

Be confident that your gift will make all others pale by comparison! Unless you share these tips, your host may believe you spent a small fortune to have a clever gift-making company create it!

Keep prepared host gifts for emergencies. Last minute invitations from your boss or a new friend happen. For people who like to garden, give eed packets with special appeal (ones they won’t easily find at the nursery) to assemble a “garden collection.” If your host loves roses, give him an assortment of wild rose seeds from your garden or give him exotic seeds collected from a seed seller.

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Gift, Ribbon

Relationships and 1980s Music

Relationships and music go together. Technology used to distribute music to the masses in 1980 appears positively antique in today’s download music from the Internet world. Generations of music lovers spent time and money at the music store, traded albums and sheet music with friends. Here’s remembering 1980s music hits:

1. “Pretty in Pink”: Originally recorded in 1982, the Psychedelic Furs re-recorded this song for the movie. An English rock group formed in 1977, originally as RKO, later recorded as The Europeans.

2. “I Want to Know What Love Is,” from Foreigner’s “Agent Provocateur” album of 1984, was a hit in 1985. If you ever asked yourself what love is, listen up. Interestingly, the album name from which this song comes is now the name of a lingerie site!

3. “Rock the House,” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Listen up to Will Smith. This song remains as fun–and fresh.

4. “It’s Like That/Sucker MCs,” by Run DMC: led the way for hip-hop. Their “over-the-top” aggressive style combined with hard-hitting rhythm and beats alienated some but they captured raw socioeconomics: “Champagne, caviar and bubble bath, But see ahh, ah that’s the life, ah that I lead, And you sucker MC’s is who I please.”

5. “9 to 5,” by Dolly Parton was also a popular hit movie.

6. “Planet Earth,” by Duran Duran. Cosmically commercial in the Reagan era, “Star Wars” (the movie and Reagan’s anti-nukes, Duran Duran gets the moment, recalling Edna St, Vincent Millay!

7. “I’ve Got a Rock & Roll Heart,” by Eric Clapton. A breath of Eric Clapton was cool, and it still is.

8. “Candle in the Wind,” by Elton John. The first version about Marilyn Monroe later did double-duty at Lady Diana Spencer’s memorial.

9. “This Time It’s For Real,” by disco’s Donna Summer. In 1989, messaging options were not as diverse as today!

10. “All She Wants To Do Is Dance,” by Don Henley. A former member of “The Eagles,” Henley’s music morphed to 1984: “All she wants to do is dance…and make romance.”

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Eric Clapton

Grow Peonies and Relationships

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Family gardening traditions across the generations often include growing peonies. Keep in mind these simple tips and your peonies will thrive as you cure wounds of color-deficiency. Grow relationships by giving gorgeous bouquets!

Strictly speaking, there are three types of peony: the herabeous form, which dies back in winter; the tree peony, a woody shrub which does not die down over winter; and the hybrid, which brings additional color, foliage and earlier blooms, ranging from the single bloom–a few broad petals–to the flamboyant double-double, where the bloom completes the doubling process.

The popularity of the peony matches the wide-ranging climate conditions in which the plant may be grown. Well-adapted to cold as well as warmer weather throughout the southern USA, USDA zones 4 through 8-9 on the west coast, peonies are known throughout the country as cheerful and usually hardy flowers. For those living in zones 4 and 5, remember to protect your plants in winter with good moisture-absorbing mulch.

The peony requires a well-drained, fertile soil with a ph of 6-7.2 and six full hours of direct sunlight, but don’t be afraid to plant under light canopies providing dappled sunlight, as this replicates the original Chinese environs!

Plant the herbaceous variety 15 inches apart with at least five foot gaps for the larger hybrids. The tree peony requires four to five feet gaps located 9 feet or more from the roots of large trees to prevent competition for needed water and nutrients. Peonies are quite drought resistant, so don’t over water, and standing water is the number one enemy of these beauties. Plant September to early October. Remember, plant herbaceous types so the highest crown bud is two inches below soil surface. Tree peonies need to be deeper. At the same time, older plants can be divided.

Don’t cut the woody stems of the tree variety. Remove the dead leaves and cut the herbaceous form to one inch above soil level. Use a fish or seaweed fertilizer every two to three weeks during growing season.

Contact the American Peony Society for more information.

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Peony

Family Traditions of Making the Perfect Omelet

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Making the perfect omelet is fun. Some families create verbal traditions about making the perfect omelet. Generations of families pursue the idea of crafting—and eating—the perfect omelet. In today’s technology-driven world, cooking and enjoying food remains one of the most personal and intimate pleasures.

First, decide upon the kind of omelet you want. When ordering an omelet in most U.S. restaurants, you receive a “fluffed” omelet. This delicious concoction is achieved by separating and beating egg white and yolk separately, and then folding together. Beating the eggs volumizes them, making this kind of omelet perfect for fillings.

Visiting several diners in Rhode Island, nine out of 10 guests at The Blue Plate Diner prefer the fluffed variety.
Bob Malloy, visiting the beach from New Hampshire, said “I like a breakfast omelet that is light and tender, slightly browned and filled with favorite cheeses.”

Sandra Collins from Providence, Rhode Island agreed “Definitely like to eat fluffy puffy omelets. My husband thinks a flat omelet is a discard.”

Of course, lovers of the classic frittata disagree. Elizabeth Marcoux said “Giada De Laurentiis has a great recipe for tiny frittatas. We eat them any time.”

“Think souffle,” said Malloy. “I have an omelet pan that folds over. My wife thinks that’s cheating.”

Start with fresh eggs at room temperature. “You can tell the difference,” says Fran, Malloy’s wife.

Assemble filling ingredients before you start cooking the omelet. “It is distracting to run to the chopping board when your omelet is almost cooked through. This is a recipe for burned breakfast,” suggests Kim Carpenter, the Malloy’s daughter.

Crack and divide the whites from yolks. With a hand-held electric beater, whip the egg whites until peaks form. Fold in well-beaten yolks until the mixture is a uniform light lemon yellow.

Use a designated omelet pan. A non-stick frying pan with a heavy bottom also works well.

Experienced cooks prefer a gas stove. ”Cook the eggs about 45 seconds, then rock the pan to allow uncooked mixture to heat. When the top of the omelet is still “moist-looking,” Malloy says “Flip it!”

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Omelette

Keep a Room of Your Own For Great Relationships

In an ideal world, married or living together couples share the same idea of what shared living space should look like. Freedom to express yourself is important right in any relationship. Decide on common space, but maintain personal space. Remember to respect the privacy of your roommate or loved one.

Arrange your technology separately, because sharing a computer desk or table tempts some to browse through emails or recent search history of the computer.

Your lifestyle should reflect what’s affordable for you. If splitting the costs with a friend helps you rent a great apartment, consider separate bathrooms as a basic requirement. Don’t think that traipsing through your roommate’s space isn’t grounds for murder! What if you really need to use the upstairs bathroom when your roommate’s boyfriend visits?

Don’t use your roommate’s hair care products or food she buys for a dinner she’s preparing for other friends. She’s not materialistic. She’s on a budget, like you.

As Robert Frost said, “Good fences make good neighbors.” Doors and decor count help make long-lasting cohabiting persons friends for life, or enemies with a cause.

When you’re married, think about two bedrooms. Plan to share a bedroom, but maintain a place of your own. Decorate the shared bedroom in a simple, tasteful way that isn’t too girly or man-cave. Keep two separate closets, two bath areas, a living room and an office space with two desks.

These aren’t the suggestions of an upper class real estate maven. Share expenses to get the apartment, house or office of your dreams. Share the space with the person sharing the bills. Keep your relationship honest and friendly. Love blossoms, and friendship lasts with his-and-hers, hers-and-hers or his-and-his space.

Maintaining private space makes good relationships better. If it’s bad to begin with, nothing helps!

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Roommate