Design Space Archives - Other CMS

Make the Grade on College Move-In Day

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:43:24 +0000

Make the Grade on College Move-In Day

With the 2023-24 academic year fast approaching, parents across the country are alternately dreading and looking forward to college move-in day, that milestone in the life of every family in which they travel to their child’s university of choice and help the newly minted freshman check in to the dorm. It is a moment fraught with occasion, as parents grapple with how swiftly the years have passed and children with a mix of excitement and daunting take their first steps into adult life.

On a more practical note, move-in day can be accompanied by a range of logistical challenges. Here are a few strategies parents can employ to ensure their family aces this entrance exam.

Plenty of Preparation: Given that you know where you teen in bound this fall, summer should be a season of preparation. Make sure you know how move-in day is expected to proceed by familiarizing yourself with all relevant university guidelines. Work with your incoming freshman to determine what items need to be transported and which can be picked up on campus.

Limit Who Tags Along: Such is the importance of move-in day that your entire extended family might wish to be on hand for the occasion. Do your best to discourage this, as move-in day even at its most organized borders on chaos, with hordes of parents and children navigating cramped hallways and small dorm rooms. The fewer people involved the better for all concerned.

Snack Time: Moving in might take far longer than you imagined, easily stretching past traditional mealtimes. That’s why it never hurts to bring along some favorite snacks to keep the wolf from the door. In addition, after going up and down the same staircase a dozen times, a cooler full of cold drinks will look like heaven.

Don’t Pack Those Bags: For parents driving students to campus, duffle bags, or even large black garbage bags, are ideal for packing. There is no place to leave luggage in a small dorm room and garbage bags allow you to easily organize ahead of time into bedroom, bathroom, winter clothing and items your student will need right away. White garbage bags make great garment bags and allow you to move clothing from closet to car to closet without taking items off their hangers or getting them dirty.

Take a Meeting: Depending on your student’s needs, you might want to set aside time to visit the offices of financial aid, disability services or even the freshman dean while you’re on campus. Plan ahead if you need to have any of these meetings and make sure to schedule an appointment to avoid long lines.

Clean Up Time: Most universities make an effort to clean dorm rooms over the summer in anticipation of new residents but it’s wise to bring cleaning wipes or paper towels and soap in case you discover the room is dirty or the closets or drawers need wiping before they are filled. A small dustpan and brush can be useful as well but remember to pack these last so they can be unpacked first.
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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Make the Grade on College Move-In Day appeared first on Other CMS.

Here are the Latest Manufactured Housing Interior Design Trends

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:03:44 +0000

Here are the Latest Manufactured Housing Interior Design Trends

With nearly half of 2023 gone, bloggers and industry insiders who write about manufactured homes for a living have begun identifying the year’s newest and most popular interior design trends. While the developments cut across a range of formats, all carry the potential to make your unit look more modern and stylish, whether for your own benefit or to attract prospective buyers. Here are the leading design trends so far this year.

Get Earthy: Interior designers across the country continue to emphasize earth tones when decorating or painting – think brown, green, gray and even some muted reds. Part of the reason is this makes it easier to sell a home, as neutral colors help potential buyers see themselves one day occupying the room. In addition, these colors evoke a sense of natural beauty by mirroring shades readily found in the world around us.

Stone Meets Wood: Speaking of natural vibes, furnishings with stone and wood trims, such as counters and tabletops, are likewise all the rage. These can sometimes be made out of the real thing and covered with a lacquer or sealant, or can be marble, vinyl or another surface top that looks like stone or wood.
This look is becoming more popular for the same reason as earth tones for your walls – they invite in a sense of natural curiosity and make your home feel more upscale.

Dim the Lights: Brightly lit rooms have been a design trend for a while now, but more muted lighting is on the rise in 2023. Rather than having four different light sources in your living room or bedroom, consider reducing them to just one or two. This will make the room feel more Zen – that is, calming and energizing. Indeed, you might be shocked to discover how much a room with just the right amount of calm lighting can feel cozier.

Vintage View: Nostalgic, vintage design is not only fashionable but carries the additional advantage of sustainability. Whether it’s a tile backsplash in the kitchen or bathroom or cabinets that are as vintage as they look, going back to the past for your home’s decor is an increasingly popular way to go. One note of caution, however, with choosing older objects is that they might contain elements that have since been identified as health hazards. Do the research to ensure everything used in your manufactured home is free of any toxic substances.

Self-Care at Home: With plenty of Americans still working from home three years after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, people have begun augmenting their home offices with spaces designed to enhance wellness and productivity. If you’re struggling with either of those (or both), consider installing soundproofing foam; curtains that allow in increased natural light; calm, cool colors as opposed to bright colors on your walls; and an air filtration system, if possible. Your boss and emotional well-being will both thank you.
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First Step to Decluttering: Throw These Away

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 18:50:36 +0000

First Step to Decluttering: Throw These Away

No matter how much or how little square footage you command, there’s no way to avoid collecting a certain amount of clutter in your home. Indeed, it can happen so gradually that you hardly notice the accumulation – souvenirs from a trip here, a pile of books there, that never-worn sweater from your aunt hanging in the back of the closet. You’ll get them in a moment, you promise yourself, only to notice weeks later that the items are just where you left them.

Whether it’s part of spring cleaning or getting your home ready for the holidays, clearing out clutter cannot help but make your home more comfortable and welcoming to say nothing of more pleasing to the eye. Not sure how to start the process? The first step is to identify and eliminate the items such as the ones below you are most likely never to need/wear/use again.

(Not) Reading Material: Time to face the facts – despite your best intentions you are never going to get around to reading all those thoughtful essays and trying those yummy-looking recipes you’ve squirreled away from your favorite magazines. Your best bet is to take a picture of a select few just in case and throw those old magazines in with your recycling.

Bag Time: How many empty paper or plastic shopping bags do you have stashed right now in the kitchen pantry or in the cabinet beneath the sink? Probably more than you’re likely to use in this lifetime. Recycle the extras or perhaps pass them on to a neighbor with an accommodating litter box before purchasing a few reusable tote bags.

Manuals: You had the best of intentions when you decided 20 years ago to hold on to your new toaster’s owner’s manual. That was then, however, and this is now. Today, you can find all that information online, to say nothing of informative, how-to videos and more. The answer is to locate and download any still-relevant owner’s manuals and relegate the old paper copies to the recycling bin alongside the aforementioned magazines.

Clothes Minded: Bear in mind the Golden Rule of closet organization – if you haven’t worn an item in a year, it’s safe to bet you never will, in which case it’s just taking up space. Get brutally honest with yourself and clear out that clothing. If you’re looking to take some of the sting out of the process, consider donating or selling those items. Either way, it will be easier for you to access the remaining clothes hanging in your closet.

Follow the Money: Some people hold on to every scrap of paper related to their finances – check stubs, W2s, tax returns – in anticipation of that fateful day when the IRS comes knocking. In truth, there’s no need. You will want to save your tax returns, deeds, leases and – if you itemize expenses – your relevant bills for seven years and file them neatly away. Everything else can go right into the shredder and then the recycling bin.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

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Facts to Consider When Buying Manufactured Home Appliances

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:24:10 +0000

Homeowners are nearly universal when it comes to what they want from appliances. In addition to having the devices quickly and efficiently perform their prime functions — making coffee, washing dishes, etc. — homeowners prize appliances that will not take up a minimum amount of space and at the same time bring a dash of style to the room. These are particularly important priorities for people residing in manufactured homes, given the generally smaller square-footage.

New manufactured homes usually come with the latest appliances, but if you’re in an older model or simply just want to fresh up its look, you have plenty of options. New or just new-to-you appliances can make a real difference in your manufactured home, on that will result in more stylish and efficient surroundings.
Measure for Measure: You can save yourself considerable hassle and frustration by making sure to measure the space where the appliance will go so you don’t buy something that doesn’t fit. Moreover, depending on the size of the appliance, it’s also worth measuring any and all doorways it will need to pass through on its way to its final destination in your home. You can’t be too safe about these things, particularly given that an appliance that’s too big might be difficult to return.

New Or Used?: It’s a given that new appliances are likely to last longer and provide more reliable service than used ones, but they are also more expensive. That said, you should not reject the idea of used appliances out of hand. Sure, there are risks involved in buying pre-owned, such as quality can vary between products and manufacturers and replacement parts can be hard to find. On the other hand, if you’re willing to take the risk, you could score one in great working condition for a fraction of the price.

Form and Functionality: Most of today’s home appliances are sleek and refined, and many models can do double duty, which means you get more bang for your buck. Dual appliances like combination washer/dryers and vacuums that double as steam cleaners for floors provide one machine for two tasks.Save Space: Also bear in mind that most appliances today come in compact or scaled-down sizes to fit any available space. You also can find lightweight and portable options that make it easier to rearrange as your space evolves. For example, try to find washer/dryers that allow you to load from the front, so that they can be stacked on top of each other.

Go Green: Always consider energy-efficient appliances. They consume less power and often come with cash rebates and other special offers to make the price even more attractive. In such cases, they will save you money now and in the long run.

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Maximizing a Smaller Yard to Reap Maximum Enjoyment

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 19:17:04 +0000

No homeowner responsible for maintaining a standard-sized (or larger) suburban lot hasn’t at least once dreamed of tending something smaller, a feeling that comes over them most likely while mowing the lawn on a blazing hot summer afternoon or crunching the numbers to make sure they can cover the month’s landscaping bill.

Mobile home owners face a challenge all their own — how to maximize their smaller yards to reap maximum enjoyment from that limited swath of the great outdoors. It’s real conundrum, one that leaves, if you will, little room for error. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to help you make the most of a small yard and make it a welcoming space for dining, entertaining or just hanging out with a good book.

Add a water feature: While most readily associated with splashing fountains in larger settings, water features come in all sizes and design, including wall fountains, waterfalls and even small ponds. The characteristic they share is the calming burble of moving water, a sound that resonates deep within the human soul. Maybe you don’t live on an ocean, river or lake, but you can still experience some of the soothing they provide.

Take plants vertical: Small yards are susceptible to appearing cluttered; one too many potted plants, flags or chairs in a contained space can effectively rob it of its attractiveness. One answer is to utilize vertical space by building a plant wall, which not only gets greenery out from under foot but also creates a pleasant visual for you and visitors alike.

Create a path: Adding a stone path to your yard does more than just make it easier to get around. It also serves as an accent piece that draws attention to the space’s more dominant features. Many manufacturers utilize slip-free materials in their pavers, increasing homeowner safety as they navigate their yards.

Opt for light-colored furniture: What holds for indoors holds for outdoors too — dark furniture more readily absorbs light and can make spaces look and feel smaller. Homeowners particularly want to avoid that in a small yard and so opting for light — or better yet, all-white furniture — is the way to go. That furniture also provides an attractive contrast to the greenery around it.

The Right Lights: Stringing lights isn’t just for the holidays anymore, particularly if you’re looking to maximize a small space. Stringing lights overhead not only helps yards feel cozier but also increases your ability to enjoy the outdoors on pleasant evenings.

Buy a Round (Table): Not only do circular tables give off a modern look, but they’re also easier to maneuver around than their traditional rectangle counterparts. Try to mix and match the textures by pairing a concrete or stone table with wooden patio furniture.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Maximizing a Smaller Yard to Reap Maximum Enjoyment appeared first on Other CMS.

Design Trends to Make the Most of Your Available Space

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 17:24:04 +0000

Owners of manufactured homes are no different from anyone else when it comes to desiring a living space that reflects not only their personal tastes but the latest design trends. Indeed, it can be argued they prize it even more, given manufactured homes’ reduced square-feet. Either way, the goal is to ensure your environment is comfortable, contemporary and a true reflection of who you are.

With the first quarter of the year nearly complete, we can identify 2022’s leading interior design trends. Some are can’t-miss staples and others are wholly contemporary, but taken together they provide a palette that can transform your home and engage family and visitors for years to come.

Put It in Neutral: Start with a canvas upon which you can add splashes of color by opting for walls in cool shades of white, gray or beige. Gray is particularly prized as a neutral with a wider range of shades than you might think. All three neutrals serve the purpose of enabling other décor elements to serve as the room’s focal point.

Go Bold: When it does come to those splashes of color, err on the side of bright and bold. Don’t shy away from stark browns, reds or greens when it comes to accent pieces, cabinetry or tile.

Windows on the World: It cannot be stated strongly enough the value of maximizing the number of windows in your home. Simply put, the resulting flood of sunlight and other natural elements has a crucial role to play in ensuring you get optimal value from your living space. They prove downright invaluable in colder climes on those days when the sun is out but frigid temperatures make venturing outdoors unlikely. Just remember to complement those windows with stylish coverings for those moments when privacy beckons and/or to save money on your heating and cooling bills.

Wide Open Spaces: Every space feels larger when there is more room to maneuver and manufactured housing proves no exception. It’s not surprising, then, that one of the leading design trends this year finds homeowners tearing down walls and eliminating bulky furniture in favor of more open floor plans.

Double Duty: When you have only so much square-feet to work with you, you must optimize every inch – that’s a lesson we’ve all learned over the past two years as pandemic protocols have required spending more time than ever at home. The result has been the rise of the multi-purpose or flex rooms, which through the smart use of shelving, cabinets, counters and closets are doing double duty, with that home office serving alternately as your gym, library and wine cellar.

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