Gone but Not Forgotten: 10 Ways to Remember Deceased Loved Ones

tealight candles

When a loved one like a family member or close friend dies, people worry about losing the memories they have of those that have passed away. As time goes on, it can often get too easy to get caught up with other things in life, and past memories begin to fade.

That’s why it can be helpful to find ways to help have permanent reminders of the fun and happy times you’ve experienced with dearly departed people in your life. With that in mind, take a look at the following suggestions for your consideration:

1. Photo Montage

You will likely have many photographs of your loved one, some of which will undoubtedly include you and others closest to you. The great thing about photos is that you can reproduce them in many different formats and use them to your advantage.

How? By creating a photo montage. For example, you could buy or make a multi-photo picture frame that can take pride of place on your living room wall, and you could populate it with many photos of your dearly departed loved one.

2. Memorial Jewelry

Everyone deals with grief in their own unique ways; there’s no right or wrong way to deal with the passing of a loved one. Most people will agree that they’d like to remember those they’ve lost, and one way is with memorial jewelry.

For example, memorial jewelry from memorials.com lets you create keepsakes like rings and necklaces that you can always wear to remind you of the people you love that are no longer with you. They can help the wearers feel like those they’ve lost are with them all the time.

3. Create a Memory Box

In a nutshell, a memory box is a simple box that contains items related to the person who has died. The box could be a one-off creation made from wood or a simple cardboard box. The point isn’t about the box’s construction but more about what it contains.

You could put things like photographs, jewelry, letters and notes, and even small gifts and keepsakes. Anything notable that you’d like to remind you of your loved one that can fit in the box is likely something you’ll want to keep.

4. Plant a Tree in Their Name

There’s something poignant about planting a tree in honor of someone that has died. Trees can be very symbolic; they prove that when a person dies, it doesn’t mean that their memory goes with them.

Planting a tree in a deceased person’s name is an excellent way to memorialize the passing of a loved one. Take a look at thetreesremember.com for some inspiration, or consider planting a tree yourself in your private land.

5. Start a Charity in Their Honor

Did the person in your life die of a particular illness or condition that robbed them of their golden years? If so, one suggestion to consider is starting a charity in their honor. Many people do this to help raise awareness of such illnesses and fundraise to find cures.

The charity you launch could even provide help and support for other people going through the same circumstances. It’s certainly a practical way to help keep alive the memory of your family member or friend while helping others.

6. Make Something From Their Old Clothes

If you’re handy with a sewing machine and have a creative eye, and you’ve yet to do something with your loved one’s old clothing, you could repurpose some of their garments. For instance, you could create cushions, a quilt, or even a plush toy.

It can feel hugely fulfilling, and whenever you look at the finished items, you’ll always get reminded of the person that’s no longer with you. The items you make could even get passed onto other family members like children.

7. Cook a Meal That They’ve Loved

There’s no denying that everyone has individual preferences for the food they eat. Was there a favorite meal or snack that the dearly departed person in your life enjoyed? Relive the times you ate with them by cooking a meal that they loved.

It can be an absolute comfort to help you grieve for your loss, and it can put a smile on your face knowing that you’re sharing a meal they enjoyed when they were alive. Plus, it can even help boost your culinary skills to share with other family members and friends!

8. Speak to People That Knew Your Loved One

Everyone has an abundance of stories about people they know, especially those closest to them in life. With that in mind, you could contact the people that knew your loved one and share your favorite stories and memories with them.

Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you could make video calls with those people, which is helpful if they live far away or in other countries, for example. Internet software like Zoom is a free and easy way to make that happen.

9. Restore Something They Loved

Was the deceased someone that enjoyed classic cars? Perhaps they had other hobbies, such as furniture making or electronics? If they had such a hobby, they’d likely have left behind some items to do with those hobbies.

Take the opportunity to restore something they loved when they were alive and do so in their honor. For instance, you could fix their favorite classic car or have a particular machine or piece of equipment made as good as new.

10. Write Them Some Letters

Last but not least, some people find it helpful to pen handwritten letters to their deceased loved ones. It’s a concept similar to having a diary; you note down your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, but they are for your eyes only.

In this case, though, you’d address your loved one directly in your letters. It can be an excellent way to help you make sense of how you feel and help you to grieve.

Sensible Reasons To Park Your Tour Rentals at Westchester Airport

While traveling by air, the most difficult part is escaping the airport parking lot once you check
out. The Westchester airport can get very crowded, which is why you’ll notice a long queue at
the parking lot. You’ll find all types of travelers taking short and long trips from the city who
prefer to travel to the airport and park at their lot. It is much easier than hailing a cab that can be
highly expensive. It also makes sense to take your own vehicle during a pandemic when it is far
from safe to use public commutation. For the reasons below, we’re going to talk about why it is
sensible to book your parking space in advance.

Avoid unnecessary crowds and delays
Like all common airports, Westchester has a parking space that you can take advantage of
during busy and light rush hours. The last thing on the list of any flier is to have a roadblock right
in front of the airport and miss their flight. To avoid such unfortunate incidents, you can book
your parking slot at the airport well in advance and go straight to it upon arrival.

Close to the airport
Even if you’re at the airport parking, chances are that the last moment parking slot booking will
land you far away from the entrance or your gate. A long run dragging your luggage will tire you
even out before you even depart. You can book a convenient space easily at Westchester Airport parking to shorten the walk and make it simpler to reach the gate. There are also pick up
and drop services to your car and back to it that you can book if you have a lot of luggage.

Get better parking rates
Search for better rates online and book the one that appeases you. An expensive parking slot
will increase the cost of your trip and dent the budget, which is not feasible in the long run. If
booking in advance saves you money to park for a few days, it’s well worth the effort. You can
also avail of complimentary shuttle services to the airport gate while leaving as part of some
providers’ early booking policy.

No More Stress regarding Vehicular Safety
A booking for your car’s parking takes off a huge chunk of stress since you don’t have to worry
about safety during your business trip. You don’t have to worry about damage or scratches
since they look after vehicles and have surveillance. Make sure that you go for a credible
provider who has great reviews. Your peace of mind and convenience is not a negotiable
element.

When you are on a vacation, everyone wants to forget about things back home and live in the
present. The fear of your car getting towed or damaged at a distant lot is not something that
helps you enjoy a trip. You deserve to enjoy your vacation in peace; hence, make sure that you
choose a reliable service provider at the right spot and a reasonable price for the best experience.

Christmas 2021 Planning (& No, It’s Not Too Early After Last Year’s Disappointment)

Let’s face it; Christmas 2020 wasn’t our greatest. While normality hasn’t truly returned, there is no doubt that this festive period is set to be far better. 

If you truly want to make up for last year’s subdued celebrations, now is the time to get planning. Here are some items that should be on your checklist to ensure that this festive period is just like the ones you used to know.

Dress To Impress

Looking festive will put you in a festive mood. So, checking out Christmas t shirts for women, men, and children is highly advised. You can also wear festive hats and jewelry to heighten the experience. In truth, a lot of families couldn’t see the point in wearing festive items last year, especially if they couldn’t see friends. However, it’s one of the best ways to spread some cheer in the weeks leading up to December 25th. 

It is very likely that there will be a rush. So, it’s probably wise to buy the items in advance.

Decorate The Home

You probably added some home decorations last year, but it’s likely that you were a little more subtle than usual. After all, you wasn’t going to host anyone else. The situation has changed for 2021, which makes it a great time to think about getting a new tree and decorations. Festive garden lights and wreaths are great too. Last year, seeing those items actually felt disappointing. This year, it will fill you with joy.

Family meals and watching festive films will feel better than ever.

Make The Most Of Markets

Many attractions were closed last Christmas for obvious reasons. They will return in 2021, however, and their previous absence has made the heart grow fonder. Visiting Christmas markets can provide some truly magical moments. Cocoa, handmade gifts, and carol singing recitals will all bring the magic back to our lives. And it will go a long way to making life feel normal once again after what has been a very testing 18 months.

Local events that promote a united community should be a key feature of Christmas 2021.

Plan The Ultimate Meal

Whether it’s Christmas Day or another date in December, the big group meal is vital. You may find that you want to do something completely different with a winter BBQ. Even so, being surrounded with people that you saw very little of in 2020 will feel extra special. And knowing that members of your household are back to enjoying life to the max is rewarding too. It’s something we took for granted before, but will adore this festive season. 

You may also want to think about purchasing some games for the festivities.

Giving Back 

While last year’s festivities were subdued, they taught us to gain some perspective. The heightened sense of gratitude and appreciation for what we have should encourage you to give back. Families have lost loved ones while refugees have had to flee warzones too. There are many ways that you can show altruism this festive season. And when you do, the benefits for your personal mindset are clear.

And when you end 2021 in such a positive way, it’ll help you start 2022 in style too.

6 Tips for Magnifying Meaningful Moments in Your Life

In life, we all rely on moments of meaning in order to maintain a sense of purpose, and to thrive to the greatest possible extent in one way or another.

photo via heyweddinglady.com

The sense that life is meaningful is one of the most important things of all, when it comes to helping to establish and safeguard an overall sense of well-being, and to help us to thrive, experience the best of life, and withstand the negative and challenging experiences that always arise from time to time.

There are all sorts of different meaningful moments that are likely to occur in your life, ranging from things like your wedding, or the birth of a child, to somewhat more everyday events like starting a new job, buying a house, or achieving some particular personal goal or milestone that helps you to feel your best, and to experience a sense of positivity and pride.

While there are already likely to be all sorts of positive and meaningful moments in your life, taking whatever steps you can to enhance that meaning and magnify it, and to really appreciate it to the greatest possible extent, is certainly something worth doing that can be deeply rewarding in and of itself.

Here are just a few tips for magnifying meaningful moments in your life, and putting yourself in a situation where you are better able to appreciate and engage with them.

Be present to actually enjoy those moments, instead of being distracted

First things first: any meaningful moment in your life is bound to be exponentially more enjoyable and positive, if you’re actually able to be present and engaged in the moment, as opposed to being overly distracted and caught up in concerns or considerations of other things.

In life, a simple inability to actually be present and to appreciate what’s right in front of us, is often at the heart of much frustration, dissatisfaction, restlessness, and an overall sense of a lack of meaning.

Something similar could happen on vacation trips, for example. Imagine that you are visiting a beautiful and scenic locale that has the potential to be deeply positive, moving, and inspirational in a variety of different ways – but instead of actually being there and appreciating the experience fully and directly, you arrive at your destination with a huge number of different presumptions, expectations, and assorted preoccupations.

In this kind of situation, you may be so distracted and wrapped up in your own assumptions, mental projections, and assorted concerns, that you are barely even aware of the experience itself – never mind being present enough to really enjoy it and let it unfold to you without excess concerns and preoccupations.

If, instead, you can let as much of that other stuff “go” as possible, and be present in the moment, you’re likely to have a much more positive overall experience – and are likely to find a lot more meaning in the experience than you otherwise would.

Use appropriate props and ornaments to highlight the experience

Whenever you’ve got a great life event coming up, such as your wedding, using custom-made and beautiful invitations from a company like MagnetStreet is just one way that you can help to magnify and highlight the meaning and significance of the experience, and make it as positive as possible.

As human beings, we all tend to be deeply influenced by things of a symbolic nature – whether that’s something like a particular ornament that we use to highlight the significance and value of a particular event, or whether it’s something like a particular routine or ritual that we use for the same purpose, among other things.

There’s a reason why the majority of people enjoy celebrating things like birthdays and annual holidays – it because taking the time to actively commemorate these things and appreciate the fact they stand out as having heightened significance and meaning, is a great way of getting in touch with the deeper and more positive and engaging aspects of life as a whole.

So, whenever you want to really magnify the meaningful moments in your life to the greatest possible extent, keep these sorts of things in mind.

Orient and align yourself with meaningful paths and courses of action in everyday life

It is always possible to live life in a more or a less meaningful way, depending on the basic choices that you make on a daily basis – and, as a general rule, the more that you focus on pursuing courses of action on a daily basis that connect you with a higher sense of meaning, the more this will spill over and influence your other experiences as well, and your life as a whole.

Magnifying, highlighting, and fully appreciating the most meaningful moments of your life – occasions like weddings, birthdays, and so on – is always going to be a bit more difficult to achieve, as a rule, if you feel that the basic course of your life as a whole, on a daily basis, is more or less devoid of meaning and is frustrating in and of itself.

On the other hand, if you put yourself in a situation where your day-to-day habits, the direction of your career, and the way you interact with each day and the moments it contains, all feel meaningful, the likelier it is that those more significant moments will be magnified even more.

So, it’s important to ask yourself certain questions – such as, for example, are you satisfied with your everyday experience and circumstances, or are you stuck in a rut, and are just allowing things to stagnate as you go with the flow?

The more you can address and correct features of your everyday life that end up diminishing your overall sense of meaning, the more you’ll be able to properly enjoy life as a whole, and feel a sense of thriving in both the big and small moments alike.

Get your loved ones involved

All meaningful events, ranging from weddings to the birth of a new child, or birthdays – to name just a few – are bound to be significantly more meaningful, positive, and enjoyable, if you have your loved ones present to share in those experiences with you.

Human beings have been described as “social animals,” and it’s certainly the case that everyone – even the most introverted among us – needs a certain amount of close social contact with those we cherish most life, in order to truly thrive and feel as though we are living our lives in the most meaningful and positive sort of way.

Although it’s not necessarily going to be feasible – or even possible – to get all of your loved ones together in order to share in every potentially significant moment that you experience throughout day-to-day life, it is likely to be possible to get your loved ones involved in at least some of the most significant moments that you experience over the course of your life.

What’s more, it’s certainly worth making the effort to do this, in order to really highlight and underscore the significance and meaningfulness of those moments.

Take steps to actively reduce your overall stress levels

It’s probably fair to say that almost everyone realises that chronic and excessive stress is detrimental for overall health, and for experiencing an enduring and positive sense of well-being in life.

Nonetheless, chronic stress is still unfortunately very common – and its negative consequences can be even more insidious and detrimental than you might at first imagine.

For example, when you are highly and chronically stressed, you might really struggle to actually be consciously present and engaged in those moments that should, ultimately, feel the most meaningful to you in a range of different ways.

When you have all sorts of concerns on your mind, and all sorts of things that are stressing you out and exhausting you, it is just likely to be a lot more difficult for you to actually enjoy and connect with those meaningful moments in your life, in the way that you will ultimately want.

In the case of a wedding, for example, you’re meant to be celebrating your love, commitment, and connection to your significant other – a person who means the world to you, and vice versa. But if your mind is constantly going to something like upcoming bills, or a project that has been frustrating you at work, the entire day may pass you by without you really spending it in the right frame of mind.

Taking steps to actually reduce your overall stress levels can really help to highlight and deepen the sense of meaning in everyday life.

Get in touch with the voice of your inner intuitions

Often, when we end up straying from paths and directions in life that feel innately meaningful to us, it will be – at least in part – because we have lost touch with our inner intuitions and sense of what’s really meaningful and significant.

If this is the case, pausing and paying attention to what that little voice inside you says, and the direction it points you in, can be an extremely powerful and significant thing to do in order to highlight and deepen your sense of meaning in life, including in those especially significant moments.

IVF Calculations: How To Calculate Pregnancy Weeks After IVF

One of the first questions a parent-to-be will ask after discovering they are pregnant is ‘when is my baby due?’ And this is the same for IVF parents as it is for those who fall pregnant naturally. But while the due date for a natural pregnancy is based on the menstrual cycle, for IVF it is normally based on what is known as the ‘embryonic age’. 

Here’s all you need to know about IVF calculations and how to calculate pregnancy weeks after IVF. 

Due date based on menstrual age

The average gestation for a pregnancy is generally taken to be 280 days, or 40 weeks. For a natural pregnancy, the pregnancy weeks are taken from the start of a woman’s last period, assuming she ovulated 14 days later. This gives an estimated due date for the baby based on the menstrual age and is the guide most obstetricians work to. 

Due date based on embryonic age

However, when it comes to calculating the due date for a pregnancy that is the result of IVF treatment, things need to be done a little differently as you don’t always know the date of your last period. But what you do have is a more organised calendar in terms of ovulation, egg retrieval and implantation. And it is all of this information, plus the general recognition of a 280-day pregnancy gestation, that is used. 

Calculating a due date after IVF

As IVF – or in vitro fertilisation – occurs outside of the body and in a lab, it is actually possible to know exactly when the egg was fertilised, which can also be translated as the date a woman conceived. However, this is not the start date when calculating the due date of an IVF pregnancy.

Due dates for an IVF pregnancy are actually based on the date the embryo was transferred back into the uterus.  So, working with the 280-day gestation period, plus the 14-day ovulation period and the day you had the embryo transferred, you can work out your baby’s expected due date.

Here is an example: your embryo was transferred on day 5 after IVF, which means your baby’s due date will be 261 days later. 

There are also numerous online calculators which can help you work out your IVF pregnancy calendar. 

Due dates are not set in stone

As well as doing the calculations based on the embryonic age to work out your expected IVF pregnancy due date, your fertility clinic will also closely monitor your pregnancy to ensure the foetus is developing as it should and is reaching its key gestation phases.

However, when it comes to any pregnancy, the anticipated due date is not set in stone, and this also applies to IVF. Premature labour is also a risk of an IVF-assisted conception, particularly with a multiple pregnancy. And more sluggish levels of the hormone progesterone can also mean you may give birth earlier than your calculated due date. 

So, the take-away on IVF calculations is that they are intended as a formulated guide, and your fertility specialist will also work closely with you to assess and monitor your pregnancy’s progress, right up to the birth.

Why De-Stressing Is More Than Just A Lifestyle Choice

relax

The experience of stress is presented to us these days almost as something that we need to accept as part of life. Indeed, even the concept of de-stressing is viewed as a lifestyle choice: call it what you want, be it self-care, pampering or anything else, but it often feels as though you’re just expected to accept that stress is going to be there. It’s a negative experience and we all wish it didn’t happen, but hey, it’s a good excuse to buy scented candles.

The truth of the matter is that stress really isn’t something we should accept and wave away with the promise of self-care. The truest form of self-care is seeking to eliminate stress altogether. And that sounds difficult, because it is, but let’s imagine for a moment that you had asbestos in your loft. You know how dangerous asbestos is, and all the health issues it can cause, so even if it took a lot of time and money to have it removed, you’d go ahead and get it out of there. Well, let’s look at some of what stress can do to you, and why it’s important to see de-stressing as more than just a lifestyle step, but an essential decision.

Stress messes with your hormones

One of the primary responses to a stressful situation sees our bodies produce more of a hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol has its uses – it stimulates our energy production and our focus, allowing us to act decisively in perilous situations. However, it is not meant to be produced in large quantities on an ongoing basis, and when it is present for a prolonged period it leads to imbalances – the results of which can get pretty serious.

Particularly in men, an overproduction of stress hormones can lead to increased hair loss. While this is something that can be handily treated with a course of Regaine or similar, it’s no surprise that the issues don’t end there. Weight gain and high blood pressure are both significant risks from stress-related hormonal imbalance. So, too, is insomnia. And even if all of these sound like quite nebulous threats, bear in mind that these hormonal imbalances can cause you to be more prone to infections – something you can’t battle with positive thinking. For women, there is also the significant concern of what stress can do to the menstrual cycle – periods can be delayed, lighter, heavier or even missed entirely.

Stress can cause and aggravate digestive issues

It’s thankfully less prominent these days, but there is a mindset that considers stress to be something that is “all in the mind”. Even if that were true, something that affects your mind can be awful to deal with. But also, it’s definitely not true. Stress has been proven to affect human digestion in a number of ways, and it shouldn’t even be a surprise given how we often refer to stressful situations.

We all know the phrase “to have butterflies in your stomach”. It refers to a situation of nervous anxiety where it feels as though our stomach is unsettled and jumpy. The reason it feels that way is that our digestive system is home to a system of nerve endings and neurons that is larger and more intricate than any outside our brains. In times of particular stress, the blood flow is redirected away from the stomach, compromising its ability to process food, and this can cause and aggravate a wide range of disorders from IBD and GERD, all the way through to stomach ulcers – which can be serious enough to have fatal consequences.

Stress affects the heart

As we’ve already noted, the impact of stress on the mind and body has far-reaching consequences, many of which are to do with hormones and other compounds. These ingredients make their way around the body in the bloodstream, and when we are experiencing stress and its myriad health effects, it should come as no surprise that the heart is performing at a higher intensity than usual. Monitor your pulse during a time of extreme stress and you’ll see that it is hugely accelerated. It won’t be a surprise to learn that this affects the functionality of the heart itself.

For one thing, overwork is detrimental to the function of any bodily organ, including the heart. The organ itself is weakened, but that’s just part of the issue. With increased cortisol production, along with the increase in blood pressure will come higher levels of blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol. All of these are potential contributing factors to both heart disease and an increased likelihood of heart attacks. The narrowing of blood vessels that results is also a factor of concern for other serious issues including strokes. All in all, prolonged stress has serious consequences.

So what is the solution?

De-stressing is a vitally important aspect of life, far more important than the way we often talk about it may make it seem. Self-care has come to mean occasional spa trips and binge-watching something new on TV, and both of those things are worthwhile, but won’t make much of a difference on their own. Truly de-stressing will mean a change of mindset: yes, work is important, but it must remain within work hours and not be brought home; problems need to be brought out into the light and solutions found, rather than trying to suppress the worry you’re going to feel no matter what.

It may be impossible to live a life that is free from stress – it’s a downside of having emotions. The essential lesson you need to learn is that stress does its real damage when it is allowed to build. You may not relish the idea of talking to a boss or a friend and asking for help or understanding about a commitment you might need to rethink. However, think about it in terms of the stress you can lift off of you, and the health problems that stress could otherwise cause. It’s not weak or selfish to focus on yourself when you’re stressed – it’s for the best, for everyone.

3 Ways You Can Improve Your Confidence Today

Your confidence has likely been through ups and downs in your life. Nobody is confident all the time; life knocks us down sometimes, either physically or mentally, and we have to do the work of climbing back up. Even people who appear to be confident all the time struggle with their self esteem behind closed doors.

yoga with kids

If possible, you should see if you can figure out what the root cause of your confidence issues is. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but there might be a concrete reason while you’re struggling. For example, if you were recently injured, then the change in your lifestyle and circumstances might have knocked your confidence.

The upside with finding a reason is that you can do something about it. For example, if your injury is because of an accident at work, then a workers compensation lawyer might be able to help you to get compensation. It won’t solve everything, but it does help. However, sometimes you can’t find one single cause for your low confidence. The good news is that you can still do something about it.

If you are experiencing a downturn in your confidence, it’s time to start making changes. While there’s no quick-fix to a period of low self esteem, the following tips can help strengthen your resolve and make baby steps towards confidence progress.

Make the changes you’ve been wanting to make for a while.

If you have wanted to make changes to your life for a while, and they are weighing on your mind and affecting your confidence, there is no time like the present. You could have been putting off a big shift because the idea of it is just too scary.

Whether this is a small change, such as getting invisible braces or dying your hair; or larger changes, such as leaving an unhappy relationship or moving house; you deserve to have a life you love. Making changes is never easy, but the trade-up for these scary moments is getting a life you actually want to live. 

‘Fake it til you make it’ with your body confidence.

Body confidence is one of those lifelong challenges that never stops being tricky. Sometimes, the best policy is to fake it til you make it. Ask yourself, ‘What would I wear today if I loved my body?’ then wear the outfit. Ask yourself, ‘What would I do today if I weren’t self conscious about my body?’ then do that activity. Try to act like you love your body, even if, right now, you don’t. You’d be amazed at how much this mindset can help actually shift how you feel about your body in the long term. 

Seek guidance to figure out the cause of your self esteem problems.

If you have been struggling with your confidence for a long time, perhaps this is a sign you need more professional help. Counselling and psychotherapy have been instrumental in changing so many people’s lives, and you could be one of them.

Speaking to a professional about your deepest, darkest fears is tough. It’s not easy to open yourself up to a total stranger, even in a safe environment. But digging deep and realizing that you deserve to have a wonderful, shame-free life might be the motivation you need to start this scary, but worthwhile journey. 

Searching for a therapist can be tricky; there are different types of therapy that all have specific price tags and requirements. Speak with your doctor to find the best type of therapy for what you are going through.

Final thoughts…

Feeling like you lack confidence? Use this guide to help you out. You deserve to feel great about yourself, but sometimes you need to take a journey before you reach that place. 

 

5 Tips to Create a Seamless Transition between Interior and Exterior

When it comes to the interiors and exteriors of your home, it’s certainly possible to make it flow. The transition of indoors going out is something that many homes around the world do in warmer climates. You don’t even need to live in a year-round warm climate to achieve a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors. This guide will help you feel more connected to nature and create healthy air flow by creating a seamless transition.

large windows

Large windows

If you look at pictures of cabanas, you’ll notice there are giant walkways (such as arches) or large windows. Large windows would be the best way for most houses. This is a great way to open up your home to the outside world by bringing in more natural light and fresh air. Removing your walls between the backyard and your house and placing large windows, will result in the indoor space having a large appearance.

Sliding Doors

Both sliding doors and concertina doors perfectly complement large windows. This will also create the illusion of a larger interior while also bringing in more natural light. This also continues the flow on the wall that the large windows create. The “walls” between the inside and outside disappear once the door is open, which then beautifully combines the two elements. The larger the opening, the better the transition. This will also help encourage you to wander outside as well.

Lighting

Light has the power to blend spaced. Natural lighting brings the outdoor lighting in, but the same can also happen for the artificial lighting in the house. Proper lighting can make both interior and exterior lighting feel cozier and create a nice atmosphere. There are plenty of ways to make this sustainable and energy effect such as looking into community solar in MA to help utilize that method. Having steady lighting between both spaces will create a nice blend that can then help illuminate particular parts of the space such as the use of fairy lights.

Decorative accents

Decorative pieces can be both flexible but can also be a great way to help with organizing your home. You’ll want to find decorative accents and even furniture that can be used both indoors and outdoors. This tip is a great way to create a seamless transition while looking stylish too. A great example would be wicker material. Wicker chairs and wicker décor such as baskets are extremely flexible as they can be used both indoors and outdoors while also looking completely fantastic.

You will however want to consider what other materials that you use as it will need to be durable when it’s outside. Another great idea would be to incorporating textiles such as cushions and rugs since these are flexible enough to be used in bother spaced.

Floor levels

This may be an odd tip, but if you’re able to avoid any floor level changes between the interior and exterior transition, then this could be a way to make it seamless. Steps are usually the dividers when it comes to these two spaces. But having the floor levels not change, as in no steps, will help prevent both a visual and mental break between the interior and the exterior of the home.