Page 22 - Kerry Mann

You’ve heard about all kinds of new places to call home. For those people who love the water, houseboats are gaining traction. Houseboat villages are popping up all over the world. As climate change continues to wreck havoc on beachfronts, houseboats are becoming a solid option to live a life on the water without worries about waterfront erosion.

Houseboat owners are especially savvy when it comes to maximizing room in their living space. Much like RV-living, these smartly-designed homes make it possible to move freely in limited space. Here are a variety of interior design and decorating tips to help houseboat owners maximize the use of each inch on the boat.

Add mirrors to add depth (and technology) to your room

Adding multiple mirrors to your houseboat can enhance the feeling of depth throughout a room. Even better, consider adding a TVMirror to the mix. You’ll have a beautiful mirror that doesn’t take up any floor space and turns into a smart television with just one click.

Invest in

These days, you can’t turn around without seeing or hearing about tiny houses. There are new shows on HGTV, new websites and blogs and are tiny houses are popping up in virtually every town in America. I live in a small town in Wisconsin and there are now six tiny houses on the edge of town, ready to rent out.

The impetus for the movement: people choosing to downsize their home space. The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet; a tiny house is between 200 and 400 square feet.

There are many reasons people are taking a hard look at tiny homes, including:

• Environmental concerns
• Financial concerns
• More quality time
• Freedom

Whatever the reason people are heading for smaller spaces, each inch of a tiny home has a purpose. I had to chuckle when I watched an episode of Tiny House Hunters the other day. One couple wanted to declutter their lives and have more freedom to travel. But one thing the husband refused to part with was his flatscreen television. The size of the space and

Outdoor recreation is booming these days. In fact, RVing hasn’t been this popular since before the recession in the early 2000s. People of all backgrounds and ages are getting away to the outdoors – and hitting the road to see what’s around the bend. Some people are not only giving up landlines, they’re giving up their home base to live in their RVs full-time. Increases in telecommuting options and the lower costs of living in an RV are making this lifestyle a huge trend, especially among adventure-seeking millennials.

One thing that has made this trend possible is the advances in RV tech. Newer RVs are fully equipped to be “smart homes.” This includes touchscreens to control the environment, dim the lights and even bring down the awnings. It also includes sophisticated GPS systems and satellite/Wi-Fi technologies that allow them to get away and stay in touch along the way.

Manufacturers are also producing more enjoyable living spaces in today’s modern RVs – both living and sleeping spaces

We’re moving into a transitional season – high school and college grads are prepping for final exams, and for moving into their next life phase. Moms and dads everywhere are getting ready for a lot of firsts. One of the firsts that tends to get overlooked is the first empty nest – when the last child leaves home to start their life adventure. For some, this is a bittersweet experience – the quiet can be unnerving. For others, it’s a chance to re-imagine your life and your home. For me, it was a chance to finally have the space to add more of my personality to a home that had been full of sports gear, kids’ clothes and electronics for 25 years.

Our first new space was my home office. When my third child left, I decided to start my own consulting business. We turned one of the spare bedrooms into a dedicated work space. It’s separate from our day-to-day home life, and perfect for writing, thinking and privacy.

The next space we redid was for my husband – I call it the ultimate man cave. Our

Spring is in the air. Flowers are blooming. Trees are budding. And seniors in high school and college are getting ready to launch into their next life phase. This year’s graduates are among the best and brightest of this generation – ready to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. As parents and grandparents around the world consider a gift worthy of their graduates’ achievements, it might be nice to think outside the box for something that will not only be practical, but remind them just how much they mean to you.

So, step away from jewelry and clothes, and try to find something they really want and need.

Smart televisions are all the rage, but most graduates (high school and college), will be moving into small apartments or dorms, with little to no room for a television. Consider one of the new TVMirrors that maximize minimal space. When not in use, it’s a beautiful mirror that graces any wall. When in use, it’s a fully functional smart television, ready for the next Netflix binge

Spring is in the air. Trees and flowers are budding. And it’s time to shake out the dust and open some windows. Each year, I vow to clear away the clutter and every spring I’m reminded that I have a long way to go. This is definitely my year to declutter, once and for all.

A place for everything – and everything in its place. If you don’t have a space for something, you may not need it. Life is so much simpler when you know exactly where to find something. Sometimes you need small spaces – to keep things from getting jumbled. Sometimes you need to think big – like getting a cabinet with lots of storage to keep things organized. I really like the TVLiftCabinet because it keeps all the stuff that used to surround our television areas clean – all the time. When we want a movie or video game, we just pull out what we need and replace it when we’re done. When we want the television to disappear. Bam! One click and it’s gone. Kinda wish I had that one click wonder for other areas of my home.

The best time of the year to sell a house is in the spring. Some say it’s because that’s when tax refund checks are in the bank and funds are more available. Others says it’s because after spending a long winter inside, people want something new and fresh. Whatever the reason, sales peak in the spring. If you’re in the new mover zone, it’s a good time to get your house ready for that first open house. Here are a few tips to make your home ready to put on the market.

Most important tip: disassociate yourself with your home

• It can be hard to “let go” of your ties to your home, but you need to make sure you realize that the house will soon belong to someone else.
• Imagine yourself handing over the keys to the new owners and think about the new house you’re going to head to next.

De-personalize your home

• It’s time to pack up your personal photographs and family knickknacks. People walking through the space want to imagine their own photos on the tables and walls. If they’re too distracted looking

With over thirty years of furniture craftsmanship, our TVLiftCabinet artisans have designed and built many different types of TV lift cabinets and other television lift furniture. Handcrafted furnishings stand apart from other TV cabinets because they have solid construction, meticulous details and classic lines. Amish craftsmen build our cabinets, using traditional joinery techniques like dovetail drawers, heavy-duty ball-bearing slides, high-quality lid hinges and ventilated shelving and panels to prevent audio and video components from overheating in your TV lift cabinet.

In addition, the motorized TV lift consoles feature built in cable-management, as well as an integrated infrared relay that allow you to use your remote while the lift cabinet is closed. All pop up TV lifts come standard with a remote control, allowing you to hide and reveal your television with the push of a button. You can also hide all your electronic gadgets with all the extra storage in your cabinet.

Because

It’s hard to believe it’s nearly March – and you know what that means. March Madness. That’s right. First – it’s high school basketball, wrestling and hockey championships. Then, it’s onto the college basketball play-offs – nearly a month-long celebration of all things sports. My husband and sons have battled for years to get the best seat in the house to view the games for weeks on end. They tease each other mercilessly about who’s got the best view.

What they don’t know is that there is a way for everyone to have the best seat in the house – with a beautiful TVLiftCabinet that has 360-degree electric swivel. I like the Azura model that finished on all four sides – meaning you can place the cabinet anywhere in the room. The cabinet has a heavy duty electric swivel lift that is easy to operate via remote control, so you can adjust it so everyone has a great viewing experience in the room. There is also great storage for all the other electronic components that seem to appear anytime the

I’m not a mushy person when it comes to romantic holidays, but I always love it when I can surprise my husband with something he never expected in a million years. Now that the Christmas and New Year holidays are history, next up is Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been married a long time, it’s tough to think of something that will both surprise and delight.

When a friend told me about some great TV Mirrors from TVLiftCabinet.com, it sounded like a perfect win/win gift for him (he’s a TV junkie) and me (I’m not) – so a beautiful mirror would be perfect to hide the TV when I’m in the room. What a great idea. They come in many different sizes – from 32” to 65” – and they’re gorgeous, so they’re perfect for any room in the house.

The TV Mirror ships completely assembled and includes a specialized slim wall mount bracket so you can hang it easily and quickly. Simply choose when you want to use the smart TV or simply enjoy the mirror as a decorative element to your home. Like I said, win/win.