It goes without saying: kids can have an incredible amount of fun with even the most rudimentary playground equipment. A simple slide and set of swings are enough for kids to make a whole day’s worth of fun activities. For that reason, outdoor playground equipments need not be overly complex; often, the best design is the simplest one. But that being said, giving each playground a unique theme or overarching design concept can add to the playground’s mystique and potential as a place for imaginary exploration. If kids feel like their neighborhood playground has a unique character, it will make them want to revisit it, time and time again. The following are some of the best playground themes that resonate with kids and parents alike:

Magical Forest

All it takes is a couple covered areas made to resemble tree canopies and possibly a “cave” or two to make a nondescript playground into an enchanted forest. Forests serve as the setting for many children’s tales, and in the minds of many children, they are places of wonder, making them the ideal setting for a day’s play. Any kind of park playgrounds equipment can be easily transitioned to resemble a forest with the use of earth-tone plastic instead of the traditional bright reds and yellows. The boring old playground ladder becomes an enchanted giant tree. Even a slide can be made to look like a hollowed-out tree for kids to shoot down.

Enchanted Castle

Like the forest, this theme is easily achieved with the simple use of grey, stone-like plastic. Instead of forest canopies, create castle turrets, complete with slots for make-believe arrow battles and slides to escape from rampaging dragons. A theme such as this works especially well in the Midwest, Northeast or other regions of the country whose terrain tends to match that of the typical storybook locale for castles, with big trees and green grass (not, for example, in Arizona).

Journey into Space

Kids can look out through plastic portholes at the infinite universe, and bridges between playground sections can become walkways between areas of the spaceship. This theme is not especially common in commercial playground equipment for sale, but perhaps it should be.

When a trip to the playground also means a trip to another, mysterious and magical place, whether it’s a forest, castle or space, kids will surely be more inclined to come outside and play.

Jessica writes about a wide variety of topics.  She especially enjoys writing about equipment. You can learn more about commercial playground equipment for sale at http://www.miracle-recreation.com/

Before applying a mortgage loan, it is imperative to understand our affordability to incur the expenses of a certain mortgage payment over a period of time. The lack of synchronicity within our ‘incomes to expense ratio’ may nullify our application from the side of our lender. But, prior to this, it is our responsibility to assess every aspect of a mortgage regarding its cost, interest rate, number of installments, taxes, late fines, insurance payment, future value and etc. Using a free mortgage calculator, we can calculate a particular mortgage loan and compare it with other mortgages. It will help us to know the crucial question mortgage how much can I borrow?

How much amount you can borrow from a lender, however, depends on a set of different issues. The lender checks some important facets of your financial status and thereby decides how much to offer you for your mortgage. The lending institution has some sort of its own criteria that it maintains while granting loans to a borrower.

Most of the lenders will check your credit score. Your credit score is an important indication of your creditworthiness. It determines either your potentiality or vulnerability as a borrower. Generally, a person having credit score bellow 600 points will face difficulty in borrowing housing loans. Other reports on your credit history also play vital roles in obtaining a mortgage loan. If you have filled bankruptcy before, it could erect an adamantine wall before you and your potential lender. A second mortgage lien or foreclosure might make your situation tougher. This indicates that you were not serious in repaying your obligation.

Your debt to income ratio is another area of concern for your mortgage lender. If you have multiple debt liabilities like unpaid student loan, default credit cards, delinquent auto loan, it is less likely to have your mortgage loan application approved by a lending institution.

Lenders usually set the mortgage payment as 28% of a borrower’s gross monthly income. This payment comprises not only the principal amount and the interest rate but also the property taxes and mortgage insurances. Moreover, if the debtor has incurred other loans like auto loan, credit card and student loans, the combined outstanding balance should not be more than 36% of his gross income.

Before, finalizing the deal, you have to consider the specific benefit of your loan. You have to decide which type of mortgage to avail as different mortgage caters to different needs of a consumer.

How Much Can I Borrow For a Mortgage

Before applying a mortgage loan, it is imperative to understand our affordability to incur the expenses of a certain mortgage payment over a period of time. The lack of synchronicity within our ‘incomes to expense ratio’ may nullify our application from the side of our lender. But, prior to this, it is our responsibility to assess every aspect of a mortgage regarding its cost, interest rate, number of installments, taxes, late fines, insurance payment, future value and etc. Using a free mortgage calculator, we can calculate a particular mortgage loan and compare it with other mortgages. It will help us to know the crucial question mortgage how much can I borrow?

How much amount you can borrow from a lender, however, depends on a set of different issues. The lender checks some important facets of your financial status and thereby decides how much to offer you for your mortgage. The lending institution has some sort of its own criteria that it maintains while granting loans to a borrower.

Most of the lenders will check your credit score. Your credit score is an important indication of your creditworthiness. It determines either your potentiality or vulnerability as a borrower. Generally, a person having credit score bellow 600 points will face difficulty in borrowing housing loans. Other reports on your credit history also play vital roles in obtaining a mortgage loan. If you have filled bankruptcy before, it could erect an adamantine wall before you and your potential lender. A second mortgage lien or foreclosure might make your situation tougher. This indicates that you were not serious in repaying your obligation.

Your debt to income ratio is another area of concern for your mortgage lender. If you have multiple debt liabilities like unpaid student loan, default credit cards, delinquent auto loan, it is less likely to have your mortgage loan application approved by a lending institution.

Lenders usually set the mortgage payment as 28% of a borrower’s gross monthly income. This payment comprises not only the principal amount and the interest rate but also the property taxes and mortgage insurances. Moreover, if the debtor has incurred other loans like auto loan, credit card and student loans, the combined outstanding balance should not be more than 36% of his gross income.

Before, finalizing the deal, you have to consider the specific benefit of your loan. You have to decide which type of mortgage to avail as different mortgage caters to different needs of a consumer.

Additional information on timely tips for creating kitchens that shine in today’s market.

5. Enter growth mode.The local food movement is gaining traction–and there’s nothing more local than a window box herb garden or a tomato grown in a planter just outside a homeowner’s kitchen door. If you have an opportunity to provide built-in garden space, do so. It’s not expensive, and green-thumbed buyers will appreciate the gesture.

6. Speak with an accent. It goes without saying that memorable spaces have personality. Does your kitchen design go beyond plain vanilla? If not, identify a focal point such as an island, vent hood, or picture window and emphasize it with a unique color, special lighting, or a change in finish. That kind of attention to detail will make the space more unique and memorable.

7. Try new hues. “Color alleviates monotony and is a wonderful, inexpensive way to make a statement,” said Peterson. To spice things up, try a little variable color blocking in your cabinets and/or island. Mix natural woods with paints or stains in muted colors such as violet, navy, yellow, or beige. For accents, try a dash of turquoise, orange, raspberry, tomato red, or grass green.

8. Go for contrast.Not into color? You can also create sophisticated spaces with strong juxtapositions of light/dark, matte/shine, and smooth/texture in your cabinetry, flooring, countertops, and backsplashes. “Multiple, compatible, smooth countertop surfaces are best coupled with textured backsplashes,” Camp advises. Black and white is an ever-classic combo, but you can also achieve a similar affect with cream and chocolate brown. “Today we are seeing texture and depth replacing layered glazes,” Peterson said. Visual brushstrokes and surfaces with an aged, distressed look are popular.

More tips to follow… Have a great day!

We just returned from the IBS show in Orlando, Florida.  It is always nice to learn about new products and attend some educational seminars about the home building industry. As a side note, the weather was very cold which kept us in the convention center.

Houses are shrinking in the recessionary economy, but kitchens? Not so much.

As other rooms are eliminated from downsized plans, their functions are naturally migrating to the kitchen, placing more pressure than ever on this culinary zone to perform double or triple duty as the home’s primary living space. Flexibility is a must in open areas that are used not only for cooking, but also dining, entertaining, homework, family time, and even telecommuting.

Thrift is also a virtue. And there are other ingredients in the mix, too. Aging baby boomers, sustainability, health consciousness, stricter energy regulations, new technologies, and the rise of the single woman buyer are all factors shaping kitchen aesthetics and functionality today.

These were just a few of the observations noted by kitchen designers Mary Jo Peterson and MaryJo Camp, and architect Doug Van Lerberghe in a January 13 session on “Reinventing the Kitchen” at the International Builder’s Show in Orlando, Fla. They offered these timely tips for creating kitchens that shine in today’s market.

1. Prepare for prep. Sinks aren’t just for doing dishes anymore. As core prep areas, they are best when accessorized with trash and composting within reach, adjacent work surfaces, and motion sensor faucets for dirty hands. When it comes to functionality, large single bowls are more versatile than double wells. And if the budget allows, provide more than one sink. “As we go up in size, the first thing we want two of in the kitchen is sinks,” Peterson said. “That allows two cooks to work simultaneously in the space.”

2. Design for all. Baby boomers may not like being reminded of their age and may bristle at the term “accessible design,” but they will love you for creating a kitchen that simply feels better and works better. Consider making universal design features such as right-height appliances, ergonomic hardware, user-friendly task lighting, and reachable storage part of your standard practice. At the end of the day, universal design is simply a synonymn for good, smart design that benefits every user. And when it’s done well, it’s transparent.

3. Work with what you’ve got. Don’t fall for the “gotta have it” mentality and feel obligated to cram certain features into a kitchen space that can’t accommodate them. Be mindful of the room dimensions. If the kitchen is a skinny one, a peninsula may work better than a puny island, and a thoughtfully appointed pantry with French doors will feel less cramped than a walk-in. Maximize all available cavities with pull-out shelves, racks, and drawers that are easy to access–preferably at the point of use when possible.

4. Get some green. Even if you don’t have the budget for full-on solar or a geothermal loop system, small choices in the kitchen can make a difference–particularly when there’s a payback for the homeowner in the way of energy savings or health. Look into WaterSense plumbing fixtures, Energy Star-rated appliances, and recycled or rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo, cork, or quartz composite.

I will share more tips next week…

CHC is currently involved in a great project, the remodel of a townhome built in the early 1980’s in Beaver Creek. When we started this project just about everything was vintage to that time period, cedar wall siding as well as some “ugly” carpet.

We have upgraded the mechanical systems, relocated walls, added a 1 ½ bathrooms and are in the finishes stage. Our crew is currently installing the new cabinets in the kitchen area. They are a beautiful contemporary style in mahogany with a “java” finish.

Below is a before picture as well as a progress picture of the new cabinetry.

I will follow-up with additional pictures when this room is complete.

As the weather turns cooler and we prepare for warm evenings by the fire, it’s important to take a little time to make sure your home is safe and ready to perform at it’s best.

•   Check all window and door locks for proper operation: Windows that can be opened by breaking the glass and unlocking them are less effective deterrents to criminals. Check with the hardware store for window lock alternatives.  All exterior doors should have deadbolt locks.

•   Check your home and roof for water leaks:  Read more at Preventing water damage at your house here.

•   Review your fire escape plan with your family: Read more about Planning your family’s fire escape here.

•   Make sure there are working nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairs.  Other safety ideas for stairs: Outdoor painted wood or concrete stairs can be slippery when wet or when a person’s shoes are wet. Resurface the treads with slip-resistant strips near the stair nosing.  Do not store items on the stairs.

•   Replace your furnace filter and have a heating professional check your heating system and fireplace every year.

•   If you have a wood burning stove, chimneys should be inspected by a certified chimney sweep before the first use. Soot and creosote, which build up inside the chimney, can ignite when a fire is lit in the fireplace.

•   Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone. By doing this, you are removing flammable liquid storage from your garage. At the same time, make sure you aren’t storing dirty, oily rags in a pile. They can ignite spontaneously.

•   Check your snow blower for gas and proper running before the first snow falls.

•   Protect your home from frozen pipes by disconnecting hoses from outdoor faucets. Read more at No Frozen Pipes for tips on how to protect your home this winter.

•   Test your emergency generator to make sure it works properly before needed.

•   Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures. Bird nests on top of light fixtures are a fire hazard. Bird nests in chimney flues can prevent a proper venting of combustion gases and can catch fire from sparks. You should exercise great caution when working on your roof or consider hiring a qualified professional to take care of any work that needs to be done.

•   Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat loss. Check glazing for loose or missing putty or glazing compound. This will also help reduce water damage to the windows and doorframes.

•   Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring. Check for cracked or missing caulk around the base of your toilet, bathtub, and bathroom cabinets. Properly sealing gaps between your bathroom fixtures and flooring material can prevent damage.

•   Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Change batteries at least once a year. Read more at Smoke alarms save lives.

•   Remember extension cords are for temporary use only so disconnect and pick up outdoor extension cords. Check all cords for potentially dangerous nicks or frayed spots. To store extension cords neatly wind them around a sturdy 10-inch plastic nursery pot fastened securely to the wall with screws and washers.

•   Make sure old paint is not being stored near the furnace as this presents a big fire hazard.

•   Finally clean the filter in the hood of your kitchen range.  An easy way for mess free cleaning is simply placing your range filter in the dishwasher when you do your next load of dishes.

He’s rough and tough on the outside (been known to nibble on other dogs) but soft and mushy on the inside (scared of thunder & dark skies in general)….he’s the one and only SNOOP DOG! He found us, we didn’t find him…stop by and say hi and give Snoop a scratch behind the ears  ~ he’ll usually let you!

The dog days of summer are upon us (just ask Snoop)…here are a few tips to keep your home and garden in tip-top shape this summer!

• Water in the early evening or first thing in the morning ~ this allows the water to soak in and not evaporate in the heat of the day!
• Soak flower beds before weeding for easier weed removal.
• Inspect and repaint/stain outdoor areas ~ it’s also a good time to repaint exterior doors.
• Have carpets steam cleaned.
• Check window and door locks for proper operation.
• Make sure trash is stowed safely in the garage or in a bear proof trash can ~ the bears are smart (and hungry)!

For more summer time home and garden tips visit this website:

http://home.ivillage.com/gardening/0,,mfv6,00.html

I’m off to sip a cool drink!  I encourage you all to do the same!

Holli