By Kassie Pounds | Instagram @victorycottage

Through the spring and summer months, and even into early fall, I love to keep fresh flowers in the house. Flowers bring beauty and life into a space that just makes it extra special. They add a charming touch to decor, and really just make me happy. Fresh flowers can get pricey, so understandably, adding them to decor isn’t always at the top of priorities. I rarely buy expensive flowers, but head to the grocery store and pick a variety.

I can usually make them last up to two weeks by keeping them trimmed and freshly watered. Sometimes, I even mix faux florals in with the fresh and no one knows the difference. Once I have my pretty flowers, then comes the fun part of arranging and placing them in a container, and I like to use different ones, depending on colors and my mood.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May/June issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

By Metro Creative

The kitchen may be the heart of a home, but when it comes to entertaining, a dining room – if one is present in a house – tends to be the prime gathering spot for meals. Dining rooms may not be top of the list of spaces to renovate, as they tend to be used infrequently, but a dining room makeover may still be a worthy endeavor. Here are some simple ways to make the dining room more elegant and functional.

Clear out the clutter. The first step toward improving a dining room eating area is to remove any extraneous items from the space. If the dining room table is not used very often, it likely has become a catch-all for other items, such as bills or newspapers. Rather than using the dining space as a makeshift office or homework station, invest in a rolling cart to store those papers and other items. Simply roll it into a closet or another room when it’s time to host a party.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March/April issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

By Metro Creative

Spring is a season of renewal. When the flowers are blooming and the trees are budding and the weather is pleasantly warm, people often feel inspired to make changes around their homes. Work may begin with culling belongings and organizing essentials.

There is debate regarding where the practice of “spring cleaning” originated. Some researchers link it to certain religious groups. It has long been an ancient Jewish custom to thoroughly clean a house in preparation for the springtime feast of Passover. The house is scoured to remove any yeast bread, or chametz, from the home. Similarly, members of the Greek Orthodox church celebrate “Clean Week,” which is a week of cleaning before Lent. In Iranian culture, families spend days cleaning prior to the Persian New Year, which begins on the spring equinox.

Spring cleaning also has some secular roots. For instance, in the 1800s, Londoners routinely cleared their homes of grime and soot that accumulated over the winter. Spring cleaning is still a ritual for many today. As people embark on their plans to tidy up, these tips can help them along.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March/April issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.