• Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • RSS

Dad of Divas

One Dad's Quest to Regain Control of his Kingdom

  • About
  • Dads in the Limelight
  • Contests and Giveaways
  • Fatherhood
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
  • College Preparation
  • Disclaimer
  • PR/Advertising
  • Entertainment
    • Disney
  • Photo
  • Travel
  • Work With Me

Why You Should Create An Automated Home For Your Family

May 23, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Why You Should Create An Automated Home For Your Family

Nothing is more important than your family’s safety. According to latest FBI figures, there were more than 1.5 million burglaries reported in the US in 2016. Break-ins constitute about 19 percent of all property crimes in the country. More than the financial losses brought by burglaries, these crimes can cause injuries, emotional trauma, and sometimes even death. Protect your family and valued properties from break-ins with home automation. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

 

How can you keep your family safe in this age of new threats? Consider automating your home.

Why You Should Create An Automated Home For Your Family

An interconnected home is a safe home

Photo courtesy of picjumbo.com via Pexels

 

What is a home automation system? It is a system that “uses a combination of hardware and software technologies that enable control and management over appliances and devices within a home.” An automated home is also referred to as a “smart home.” Think about thermostats that adjusts to outdoor weather, an oven that cooks without need of supervision, a laundry machine that customizes its spinning cycle based on clothing material, and all these gadgets and appliances controlled via a centralized system. The system may be connected to your smartphone, giving you control over your home wherever you may be.

 

Home automation is particularly effective in protecting your home and your loved ones. This involves the installation and maintenance of network-enabled cameras and physical security systems. You may install wireless alarm system and receive notifications in your smartphone. You can also receive real-time feeds from your laptop. A home automation system may also include equipment that can prevent property damage due to typhoons, floods, and water leakage.

Why You Should Create An Automated Home For Your Family

A wireless security system for your smart home

Photo courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels

 

How do home automation systems work to protect your family? A wireless security system, as the term implies, does not involve wires and cables. It is recommended for those renting apartments or homeowners who do not want to bore holes on walls. A wireless system is linked to your electronic gadgets, and to a monitoring center through broadband connectivity. Thus, it’s important that you have a reliable Internet connection. As a precautionary measure, some people would install a wired security system as back-up when the broadband fails.

 

One of the top-rated wireless security systems in the market today is the Honeywell Lynx Touch. The models offer an 80-zone capacity that can suit any size of home, or even a business setting. As a back-up, the Lynx Touch includes 1 hardwired zone on the main board. This Honeywell premier system includes a module that lets you control your security devices and have them synced with different system functions of the alarm. Moreover, you could attach peripherals that would allow you to connect your security system to a central monitoring center.

Why You Should Create An Automated Home For Your Family

24/7 protection for your home and loved ones

Photo courtesy of bruce mars via Pexels

 

According to a study by the University of North Carolina Charlotte, most burglars considered the close proximity of other people when selecting a target home. They consider the traffic, home occupants, presence of police officers in the area, escape routes, and signs of increased security. The study reported that 60 percent of the burglars said they would seek an alternative target if there was an alarm on-site. Nevertheless, 13 percent said that they would still continue with the break-in after discovering the presence of an alarm system.

 

Who would protect your home when you’re not around to call the authorities during a break-in? Instead of relying on your neighbors or anybody who would hear the alarms, you can take control by linking your home security system to a monitoring center.

 

A monitoring system, such as Honeywell Connect, keeps an eye on your residence 24/7. Once your security system detects a breach, it alerts a monitoring center that will confirm the threat with you. If you fail to give a security code or respond within a set period, the hub would notify the appropriate authorities for immediate response.

 

Surveillance cameras for round-the-clock protection

Surveillance cameras have been proven to be effective burglar deterrents and crime solvers. Lives and properties have been saved, and criminals were apprehended with these home security equipment. Over the years, cameras have evolved to those that can do more than record events. You can now install security cameras that provide high-definition live feeds, send motion notifications, and cloud storage. Newer models feature wide-angle lens and built-in loud siren.

 

The remote monitoring feature of cameras are not only to keep burglars away. These can help you check whether your kids have arrived home safely from school and if your pets are safe when you’re out. The live feeds can be accessed through your smartphone, tablet or laptop.

 

Why you should automate your home

 A smart home is a safer home. Remote monitoring, automated lighting, and a monitoring service offers you peace of mind. Home automation can also help you save serious money by reducing energy consumption and cutting utility costs. For instance, a smart thermostat turns off once it detects that no one’s at home. It can adjust the temperature with the temperature outdoors, which helps save energy. Moreover, it can notify you when to change the filter or if something’s wrong with the heating system.

 

Home automation offers convenience and comfort, making your home truly a haven of relaxation. You can connect compatible gadgets, appliances and security equipment, and control them with a few clicks. You can set your lighting to turn on automatically when you unlock your smart door locks. A smart home can also create a relaxing atmosphere with adaptive lighting, comfortable temperature, and even calming sounds.

 

Always aspire to create a safe, secure, and comfortable home for your family. Build a living space where your children would love to spend time, keeping them safe from the streets. Home automation offers you cost-efficient solutions. Explore smart appliances, install wireless home security systems, and stay updated with smart home innovations. Make the most of what technology has to offer.

Filed Under: fatherhood Tagged With: automation, DIY, father, fatherhood, home, smart Home

Taking Control of Your Home With Smart Tech Stack Lighting

July 9, 2016 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion

 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

 

As a dad I have to say that I am always looking to find ways to save money. While some may say that I am cheap, I would say that I am thrifty and looking for ways to stretch my dollar as far as I can. Lately technology has continued to get better allowing for people like me to save even more money with my utilities.

Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion

I recently heard about a brand new brand that was offering smart lighting that is responsive to you and to your home. Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion. This sounded like an amazing bit of technology that I was very interested in trying for myself. Luckily I was able to try out three of the bulbs to take over the three bulbs that I have in my kitchen. The starter pack actually comes with two bulbs, but you can purchase individual bulbs to finish off a number of other sockets too.

Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion

When these bulbs arrived I found them to well packaged. They look VERY sleek and modern, and they were very easy to install into the sockets that I had. Once installed I found that I simply needed to install the application that was available for IOS or Android devices. The installation was simple and once installed I easily was able to connect this to my WIFI network and to the bulbs themselves.

Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion

The application itself was very easy to use and it allows you to set your lights to work on a schedule if you choose or to provide a certain type of light too. You can warm up the room, cool down the room and more. What was even better though was the fact that the bulbs were responsive to motion and to the occupancy within the room. Thus, when you walk into the room while the light may be muted when you enter, if you stay within the room, the lights become brighter until you leave and then they will decrease again.

Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion Stack Lighting is a two-year old startup that makes light bulbs packed with sensors that respond to sunlight, occupancy, and motion

And the best part? A Stack light bulb starter kit is only $99 so it won’t break the bank. On top of that, Stack bulbs can lead to energy savings of up to 40-60% over standard LED bulbs.
As I said, I love to save some money and this will definitely allow us to do this in our own home and it will allow you to do so too!

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: product review Tagged With: home, home improvement, lighting, product review

DreamWorks Animation HOME Movie Giveaway

August 7, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

home
 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

About the Movie
In DreamWorks Animation’s HOME, Oh, a loveable misfit from another planet meets a girl named Tip. The two unlikely friends embark on a great journey…the journey HOME. Directed by Tim Johnson (Over The Hedge, Antz), HOME features the voice talents of Golden Globe® and Emmy® winner Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, The Muppets), Grammy® winner Rihanna (Battleship), Oscar® and Emmy® winner Steve Martin (The Pink Panther, Father of the Bride) and Golden Globe® nominee Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, Maid In Manhattan). The movie also features a soundtrack with musical performances by Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez.

Giveaway

How would you like to win this for yourself or for your family? All you need to do is fill out the below form to be entered.  The contest will run for one week and will end on August 15, 2015.

 

Home Bluray Giveaway

Winner must be a resident of the U.S.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

 

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: #HomeInsiders, giveaway, home

Having A Home Best Family Movie Night Ever!

August 4, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever
 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

I was not lucky enough to see the movie HOME when it was in the theater (though the rest of my family did). However, in saying that I was very excited to see the movie, as I loved the actors who were selected in the movie and my family all raved about how funny the movie was and how I HAD to see it. That being said I was excited to be asked to have a viewing party with my family to have some fun together and get into the movie action, and I wanted to share our experience with you!

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

I was sent all of the above items (and more) to create the Best Family Movie Night Ever. I decided to make this a surprise, as the kids always love it when I throw something fun their way. I was particularly intrigued by the slushie makers as you do not even need to have an actual machine with these, only your freezer. If these work, I know that they will be a BIG hit!

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

I set up the night and sprung the movie night on the kids and they were ecstatic. We decided to have it in the evening so it was jammy time and then we got out our supplies. In making the slushies, I can tell you the slushie makers were simple to use and I am very interested to try out making milkshakes next time (among other things too)!

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

As part of the fun the kids also received some light up headbands which allowed them to become a Boov themselves. They loved these too. The ears on the headband changed colors constantly and the loved seeing what colors would come next. We found ourselves talking about what it would be like if our bodies changed colors when we were experiencing different emotions like the Boov did.

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

Snuggling down to the movie I can tell you that we had a blast. Not only because our movie night was an epic one, but because we spent it together as a family.

Home-Best-Family-Movie-Night-Ever

Home Best Family Movie Night Ever

As someone that had not seen the movie, I found it to be a ton of fun. There were some great lines and O’s character reminded me so much of Sheldon, but that could also be the actor himself. That being said, the movie was not bound by the talent though. The message in the movie itself was so important to share. Too often we forget the importance of family and spending quality time like this together. This movie reminded us that we have to cherish our friends and family and be there for them no matter what, and we cannot simply back down and run away when things get hard or scary – great lessons to learn for all of us!

To get you ready for your own Home Best Family Movie Night Ever, below are a few fun activities that you can use with your kids! (You can download all of the HOME Party Activities)

 Home-Party4 Home-Party3 Home-Party2 Home-Party1 Home-Party

 

 

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: Entertainment, fatherhood Tagged With: #HomeInsiders, #HomeMovieNight, family, family time, home, Home Best Family Movie Night Ever, movie, movie night

Getting Safe with Epson LabelWorks

June 4, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Epson-LabelWorks-Safety-Label-Kit
 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

Sometimes there are times when you need to keep track of items, make things better seen, or even making your own home safer. To do this people do many different things but Epson has created an amazing safety pack with their new for the that places safety at your fingertips.

This kit not only gives you the Epson LW-400 Label Printer but it also includes: and . This tape really stands out, especially in a dark room!

The runs on six AAA batteries. I found that it worked best to use Lithium batteries as these tended to last the longest and allowed us to be able to use the printer for the longest period of time.

Epson-LabelWorks-Safety-Label-Kit

I used this for a few totes in our closet to make them stand out, especially in a black-out or emergency situation. That being said once set up, the tape set well and did not end up curling or not sticking (at least as of yet).

There were a few features on the that I liked quite a bit. Outside of the interchangeable tapes that can be used, the printer itself has a wide array of font types (14) and font styles (10) from which to choose.

I found making labels to be pretty easy. The device itself is straight forward and the instructions were self-explanatory. In my last trip to OfficeMax I saw this on the shelf, but I also know that you can find it online at places such as Amazon.com.

So whether you are organizing your home, simply want to add some reflection to your helmets, bikes, strollers or running shoes, adding some nighttime reflection to your life through glow-in-the-dark tape or more this kit can help you with all of these needs!

 

 

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: fatherhood, giveaway, product review Tagged With: Epson, Epson LW-400 Label Printer, home, safety

Home Film + Disney Book Giveaway

April 6, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment


 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

TrueMeaningofSmekDay

© Adam Rex

About True Meaning of Smekday

The book that inspired HOME, now a major motion picture!

 

It all starts with a school essay.

When twelve-year-old Gratuity (“Tip”) Tucci is assigned to write five pages on “The True Meaning of Smekday” for the National Time Capsule contest, she’s not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre spaceships descended on the Earth and the aliens—called Boov—abducted her mother? Or when the Boov declared Earth a colony, renamed it “Smekland” (in honor of glorious Captain Smek), and forced all Americans to relocate to Florida via rocketpod?

In any case, Gratuity’s story is much, much bigger than the assignment. It involves her unlikely friendship with a renegade Boov mechanic named J.Lo.; a futile journey south to find Gratuity’s mother at the Happy Mouse Kingdom; a cross-country road trip in a hovercar called Slushious; and an outrageous plan to save the Earth from yet another alien invasion.
Fully illustrated with “photos,” drawings, newspaper clippings, and comics sequences, this is a hilarious, perceptive, genre-bending novel from best-selling author Adam Rex.

smek-for-president

© Adam Rex

 

About Smek for President!

In this much anticipated sequel to The True Meaning of Smekday, Tip and J.Lo are back for another hilarious intergalactic adventure. And this time (and last time, and maybe next time), they want to make things right with the Boov.

After Tip and J.Lo banished the Gorg from Earth in a scheme involving the cloning of many, many cats, the pair is notorious—but not for their heroics. Instead, human Dan Landry has taken credit for conquering the Gorg, and the Boov blame J.Lo for ruining their colonization of the planet. Determined to clear his name, J.Lo and Tip pack into Slushious, a Chevy that J.Lo has engineered into a fairly operational spaceship, and head to New Boovworld, the aliens’ new home on one of Saturn’s moons.

But their welcome isn’t quite as warm as Tip and J.Lo would have liked. J.Lo is dubbed Public Enemy Number One, and Captain Smek knows that capturing the alien is the only way he’ll stand a chance in the Boovs’ first-ever presidential election.

With the help of a friendly flying billboard named Bill, a journey through various garbage chutes, a bit of time travel, and a slew of hilarious Boovish accents, Tip and J.Lo must fight to set the record straight—and return home in once piece.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Rex is the New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich.  His other books include Pssst!, Moonday, The True Meaning of Smekday, Fat Vampire, and Cold Cereal. He also illustrated the Brixton Brothers series, Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem, and Chloe and the Lion, all by Mac Barnett and Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. Visit him at adamrex.com or follow him on Twitter @MrAdamRex.

 

LEARN MORE

Learn more about True Meaning of Smekday

Learn more about Smek for President

Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter

Follow Adam Rex on Twitter

 
Giveaway

The book series that inspired the hit film, HOME!

One (1) winner receives:

  • copies of True Meaning of Smekday and Smek for President
  • and $25 Visa gift card to see HOME in theaters!

 

How would you like to win this for yourself or for your family? All you need to do is fill out the below form to be entered.  The contest will run for one week and will end on April 13, 2015.

Home Film + Disney Book Giveaway

Winner must be a resident of the U.S.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

 

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: #Smekday, giveaway, home

#HomeSafety for The Holidays at #DadChat #Christmas

December 8, 2014 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Dad-Gets-Alarmed-dadchat

It’s the Holiday Season, Christmas-time, and everyone is excited and happy. However, during this festive time there are often many home safety disasters as well as those we always hear about, on the road. This important issue is often lost amidst all the “cheer.” #DadChat will tackle Home Safety this Thursday, December 11 at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET, along with sponsor Kidde, and we’ll ask the tough questions, and help YOU have a safe as well as happy holiday season. We also have some special giveaways from Kidde that you can win at this week’s #DadChat!

Kidde-dadchat

About Kidde, by Kidde: Founded by Walter Kidde in 1917, a pioneer in early smoke detection and fire suppression, Kidde is the world’s largest manufacturer of fire safety products. Each day, we work to expand upon our legacy of innovation, providing advanced solutions to protect people and property from fire and related hazards. You can find our products in homes and businesses around the globe. And while we’re a leading manufacturer of fire safety products, there’s more to safety than equipment and technology. From collaboration with builders and dealers to community initiatives to partnerships with non-profits, Kidde is committed to working together to create a safer world. 

Prizes to be given away – you WILL have to earn them – are:

Kidde-Fire-Extinguisher

Kidde Kitchen Fire Extinguisher: the only special purpose fire extinguisher that is UL-listed for residential cooking equipment. It delivers the firefighting agent at a high volume and low velocity to reduce cooking oil splashing, and the pressure gauge shows the unit is ready for use. Its non-toxic and non-corrosive agent makes clean-up safe and easy.

kidde-smoke-monoxide-alarm

Kidde Worry-Free Digital Carbon Monoxide Alarm: an easy-to-install CO alarm with a 10-year, sealed-in battery, which includes a digital display feature to view the current CO level. It lasts nearly twice as long as the average CO alarm and offers continuous detection of the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America.

Fire-escape-ladder-from-Kidde

Kidde Three Story Escape Ladder: a 25-foot ladder, which offers a quick and easy escape from a three-story home. It attaches quickly to most windows, and is tangle free, stretching out to form a flame resistant, durable and sturdy ladder that can support up to 1,000 pounds.

Kidde-Worry-Free-CO-Alarm

Kidde Worry-Free Kitchen Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Combination Alarm: combination smoke and CO alarm powered by a sealed-in, 10-year lithium battery, which lasts the life of the alarm, providing 24/7 fire and CO protection and eliminating the hassles of low battery chirps and battery replacement. It features an innovative smart sensing technology to minimize nuisance alarms caused by cooking.

 

  • Kidde kitchen fire extinguisher
  • Kidde Worry-Free Kitchen Smoke/CO combination alarm
  • Kidde Worry-Free digital CO alarm
  • Kidde Three-story escape ladder

 

Questions to be considered for this week’s #DadChat:

  • Are you fire-safe in your home? 
  • Do you have a two-story home? Do you have an escape ladder?
  • Do YOUR kids know where your fire extinguishers are? Do they know how to use them? 

 

Here are some suggested tweets to post to invite your friends and followers to join us:

~~ #DadChat discusses home safety Thursday. Is your home fire-safe? Do you have an extinguisher?

~~ It’s the holidays, but are you safe and secure? Are your smoke alarms working? #DadChat takes this on tomorrow!

~~ What happens if there’s a fire in your home? Do you have a plan? Let’s discuss that and more #Safety tips at #DadChat TONIGHT!

 

 

 

Related articles
  • Get ready for cold weather with Kidde Fire Safety (@KiddeSafety)
  • Book Review – The Girl Who Saved Christmas
  • Have a Selfish Christmas at the Walgreens AXE Saturdate #selfishxmas

Filed Under: #dadchat, fatherhood Tagged With: #dadchat, Fire, home, safety

Lighting is Your Choice – Life Beyond Incandescents

March 14, 2014 by dadofdivas 1 Comment


Starting January 1, 2014 the most popular light bulbs sold in the United States — 60W and 40W incandescent bulbs — will no longer be manufactured in or imported into the country.

 

According to a nationwide “Socket Survey by lighting company Osram Sylvania, only four in ten Americans are aware that the know that the 60W and 40W incandescent bulbs will no longer be available.

 

English: Image showing both a fluorescent and ...

Following 2007 legislation, the phase-out of energy inefficient bulbs,began with 100 and 75 watt incandescent bulbs.

 

Though the phase-out has negligible real-world effect for most consumers (yeah, they’re more expensive, but you’ll save money on electricity, too), a surprising number see the looming Jan. 1 change as a reason to panic. Three in 10 consumers said they actually planned to stockpile the old bulbs, known for their warm and flattering glow.

 

With her red wagon in tow, 8-year old Jill uses her lighting smarts to talk some sense into her parents, who are still using (far too many) traditional incandescent light bulbs in their home. Watch the intervention go down to see how Jill helps her family save money, time and energy with the three alternative lighting choices available to them. Learn more about the lighting choices available to you at http://bit.ly/1oQ9qYu

 

Related articles
  • Most Americans Don’t Realize Incandescent Light Bulbs Are About to Disappear
  • The Approaching “Progressive” Dark Age
  • Say Goodbye To Inefficient 40- And 60-Watt Incandescent Light Bulbs Starting Next Year
Enhanced by Zemanta

Filed Under: fatherhood Tagged With: DIY, home, home repair, lighting

Surefit Sofa Covers Change the Look of a Whole Room

September 20, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Do yo have one of these rooms that simply sits there and makes you think, blah? Do you wish you could completely change a room without buying new furniture? I know that there has been time for sure when I have thought this, but have never acted upon it due to my frugal ways. Well, I was recently introduced ti Surefit, a company that works to help all of us change what our homes look like without a ton of money put into it. 

For us, the Divadom does have some furniture that has been around for a little bit of time and with that somes the inevitable question of whether it is time to spruce up the look. Well, Surefit provided me with the opportunity to try out one of their loveseat slipcovers to do just that.

The idea behind their loveseat covers is that they stretch into a form fitting cover that transforms your loveseat (and its look) into something entirely new. I did not know whether this cover would fit on our loveseat as it is a bit oversized, but I tried it non-the-less.

So when the cover arrived, I was amazed at how compact the packaging was. Everything was nicely packaged into a very small container. When I took it out, I liked how soft it was and even the slight pattern on it as well.

I started working on the transformation and found that I did have to maneuver it a bit to get the larger of the covers to fit correctly over the sofa. The second step was to put the cushions in a zippered cover to complete the look. This second part was very easy. The hardest part was keeping the cushions on the back on the loveseat from falling down as I was pushing the cushions that you sit on back on the loveseat. Saying this though, after a little bit of acrobatics (not really acrobatics), I was able to get everything in place and we had a new looking loveseat.

The whole transformation from start to finish took between 5-10 minutes, not long at all, and it looks great!

Take a look at the Surefit website and see how you might also be able to transform your own home!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: product review Tagged With: home, product testing

Five Ways to Add Drama to Your Room Without the Cost

July 14, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Similar to adding the right accessory to an outfit, adding certain design elements to a room can take it from plain to put-together. Two designers, Jamie Gibbs of Jamie Gibbs and Associates and Elaine Griffin of Elaine Griffin Interior Design and author of Design Rules: The Insider’s Guide to Becoming Your Own Decorator provide five practical tips to add drama to a room, while still leaving you with money leftover for the right accessories.

  1. Flowers: “You don’t have to tear down a room and build it up from a perfect blueprint to have a great space. There are certain things you can add to any room to leave guests wowed without much effort or cost. Flowers are a great first step” says Elaine Griffin. Add flora in eye-catching colors like bright pink, purple or yellow to brighten up any interior. To add extra flair, choose a vase in a complementary color and mix types such as yellow roses, snapdragons and hot-pink gerbera daisies.
     
  2. Print Rug: “If a room is too simple, make the rug your focal point. It can often set the style and is inexpensive enough to be bold. For the pattern, try graphic, animal or stripes” says Jamie Gibbs. Use a large rug that covers most of the room and experiment with the shape of the rug as well as the pattern. Rather than the standard square or rectangle rug, try a circle or oval shape. While handmade rugs can become very costly, there are several inexpensive machine woven styles at various retailers that pack all the punch and are still affordable.

  3. Pillows: “Pillows can be the most cost-effective way to add color and texture to a room. Try silk, suede and even linen. Mixing color and materials is key for a ramatic and styled room” advises Griffin. To save money, go to a local fabric store and buy several striking fabrics to make your own pillow covers. These can easily be swapped seasonally or by mood.
  4. Wall Art: “Painting in bold colors is not the best idea. It is often expensive, time-consuming and when too exotic, people usually get overwhelmed and want to change it after only a few months. A great way to have a splash of color and add pattern to your walls without the cost and time, is by using WallPops wall art.
  5. Mirrors: “A mirror can not only add space to a room but also style. Look for large mirrors in vintage stores and flea markets with interesting frames. Place the mirror so it is one of the first things you see when you enter the room or place several mirrors together to create an accent wall to add depth and design” offers Gibbs.

It is non-commitment decorating that is fun and can be easily changed” says Griffin. The peel-and-stick wall art comes in dots, blocks and stripes in various colors and patterns that can be arranged to create patterns, stripes or cover an entire wall. New styles have recently been added including:

  • Bali: a black-and-white intricate design with an ethnic/tribal feel.
  • Carnivale: a red, orange, yellow and brown circular pattern with blossoming floral patterns inspired by Brazilian margaridas
  • Esprit: a colorful, modern floral print
  • Habitat: a nature-inspired leaf print with popular colors like teal, chocolate brown and a grassy green
  • Go Wild: a black-and-white zebra print
  • Twister: a violet, tan, deep cerulean blue and olive green retro pattern with free-flowing swirls and dots with die-cut stripes

“The great thing about these patterns is the fun colors and the on-trend design. Wall art doesn’t have to be color-coordinated to the room, you don’t want something that is neutral but you don’t want something that clashes, it offers a range of color within the design that allow you to go in very different directions” Gibbs says. Also available, Wall Art Kit that include several pieces of wall art and WallPops Dry Erase Sheet, Dry Erase Monthly Calendar and 4-Piece Calendar Sets that serve as great organizational tools.

By adding these elements to a room, you can go from basic to dramatic without spending a lot of time and money.

You can now shop online as WallPops has an updated website. The site – http://www.wall-pops.com/– has been redesigned, expanded and conveniently now has an online store as well as full store listings and additional product information. Fans can peruse the different styles of peel-and-stick wall art to add easy flair to their home. Additionally, become a fan of WallPops on Facebook to meet other fans and read up-to-the-minute product news. Visit: http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/#/pages/WallPops/27825029076.

My Take on These ProductsWith Divas in the household they are always looking to spruce up a room here or there. Wall Pops provides our home with some great ideas for changing a room completely with only a few images here and there. There are so many different images to choose from I was excited to even see that they had Disney images as you can guess that my girls love the Disney princesses.

So if you are trying to find something will transform your home, take a look at wat Wall Pops can provide!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Filed Under: product review Tagged With: design, home, review

« Previous Page
Find Me

Magoosh SAT




Archives


Christopher Lewis (@dadofdivas) - influencer profile on Dealspotr
dealspotr.com
Main Image

Coupons and voucher codes
Everywhere
The Network Niche

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in