Category Archives: Uncategorized

Creative Ideas for Decorating a Boy’s Bedroom

boys room

When it comes to decorating kids’ bedrooms, boys’ spaces can get short shrift. Unlike the volumes and catalogs of styles for girls, only a few predictable themes seem to come up frequently when creating a bedroom for boys.

1. Keep it simple: The older a boy gets, the less he cares about filling every inch of the room. The longer he is in sports and activities, the more awards, trophies and memorabilia he will collect, which will, by default, become decor.

2. Encourage creativity: For some children, not everything important to them fits into a tidy theme. Chandler’s middle son wanted to have not only a theme, but also a way to express other interests such as displaying Minecraft posters, class photos and old license plates. “As parents, sometimes it’s hard to let go and allow our children to express their creative side because it doesn’t ‘go’ or match,” she said. “However, it’s his room, and he is the one living in it, after all.”

3. Pick a theme that will grow with your child: For their youngest son, Chandler said they finally learned they should choose a theme that would last beyond his toddler years. They chose a timeless option, vintage airplanes, that doesn’t scream “baby.”

read and see more at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/parenting/sns-tns-bc-home-boys-bedrooms-20150330-story.html

disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Replacing Your AC – Make Sure to Check New Homeowner Regulations

California’s new energy efficiency regulations, which started being enforced last summer, dramatically boost costs for owners of older homes when they need major maintenance on their systems for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. That’s because ducts must be “R-8” insulated and certified to be free of leaks, a standard that can force total replacement for many houses built before 2008.

Consider an instructive tale. In 2011, a homeowner paid $8,100 for a new, super-efficient heating and cooling system, complete with new ductwork, in a house that was renovated in Valley Center.

But this month, a nearly identical HVAC system cost $12,758 to buy and install. That’s because the job required more labor, permits and testing in a 1969 home in South Oceanside.

Both systems had identical efficiency ratings. So the new regulations added 57 percent to the costs — a  $4,658 .

read more at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/product.aspx/productid/75

If You Live In an HOA Replace Your Water Guzzling Lawn Without Penalty

drought

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a pair of bills September, 2014 that went into effect January 1, 2015 that protect residents in homeowners associations across San Diego County and California who want to replace their water guzzling lawns with drought tolerant plants, or just cut back on turf watering during a drought.

Brown signed Senate Bill 992, which prevents HOAs from imposing fines on residents who reduce or stop watering landscaping after the governor has declared a statewide emergency due to drought, as Gov. Brown did in January. The protections do not apply in HOA neighborhoods that use recycled water, according to the bill by Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber.

With the signing of Assembly Bill 2104, by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, HOAs will be prevented from penalizing residents for replacing their lawns with low-water plants over concerns about a neighborhood’s character. It doesn’t take away the power of HOAs to establish landscaping rules, as long as they allow for drought tolerant plants.

read more at: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/18/hoa-drought-lawns-water-ab2104-gonzalez/

disclaimer: for entertainment and information purposes only