Wildlife Wall Decor

Growing up in a small mountain town, I became accustomed to people being friendly and out-going. Everyone in my community knew everyone else, and there were always welcome signs on people’s porches. In recent years, I have grown to learn that this sentiment towards your neighbors is not the norm around the country.

When I moved to Los Angeles to go to college, I had a quick reality check. My neighbors there were not sociable, and even exhibited skepticism for one another. While there are many benefits to a bigger city, I still enjoy the familiarity of the small town.

The porch of the home can express much about its occupants, and guests to the home often base their first impressions off the porch. It’s important to have a porch that is both inviting to guests and with great curb appeal. It’s a good idea to incorporate flowers on a porch, whether in pots, or hanging baskets, these add a lot of color and the appeal of nature to the porch area. For those seasons when flowers aren’t feasible, consider a few nice shrubs or well tended pine trees in post. It’s important to have some kind of greenery on the porch, so whatever it is, don’t forget! It’s also important to have a good lighting fixture, whether it’s a classic wrought iron lamp or more contemporary sconce, go with what feels right. Welcome signs are underused and underrated, but are still an excellent way to express a greeting to guests. Consider metal welcome signs as these won’t wear down during adverse weather conditions.

With an inviting porch complete with a few personal touches, guests will get the right first impression. A well tended and welcoming porch speaks volumes about the homeowners, and remember that curb appeal is important too!

Having a summer cabin is one of the best investments that any family can make. After all, property is always sure to rise in value. Even if the market is terrible, things are only going to plateau or dip slightly, but there will certainly be an upswing again. This ensures that the value of your property rises over time, but it will also prove cost effective in the short run. After all, having a place to stay for a week or two on vacations will save you the money you would have had to spend on a hotel or condo. This can really add up over the years.

And while not many people think they have the extra income to purchase a separate cabin, consider buying it with multiple people in your family or circle of friends. This way, the asking price will be cut in half, quarters, or even more. This might still be a strain for many, but if possible, it would make a great source of retirement income. Or, you could pass it along to your children as part of their inheritance. If it does become more a family fixture than an investment, don’t forget to go all out with the decorating. This includes welcome yard signs and all the rustic pieces that you feel wouldn’t go in your everyday home.

While some might say a welcome sign is a bit of an archaic form of courtesy, in truth it still has a lot of modern appeal.  Welcome signs have existed for centuries and are a part of American culture and several other cultures around the world.  You can find a vast assortment of different welcome signs for use both indoors and outdoors.  One of the most common locations to place a welcome sign is on the front door, or on the side of the house near the front door.  Outdoor welcome signs should be made of metal or solid wood, and be able to withstand inclement weather without fading.  Indoors, you might place a welcome sign on the wall next to the front door, at the top or bottom of the stairs (in split level homes) or at some location visible when entering the house. 

Welcome signs give a home a more traditional feel and might serve to put guests at ease when coming to your home.  In addition, for new home owners, welcome signs make a fantastic gift that can serve to turn a new house into a home. 

Building a wood shed in the backyard is not as complex a process as some people would tend to think.  Most people would love to have a little extra space in the backyard for storage, and a backyard shed is a great way to accomplish this.  The metal sheds offered from retailers can be ugly and quite expensive, but the truth is you can build a wood shed in your own backyard with just a few simple tools and a few afternoons.  You can purchase all the supplies for a wood shed in a convenient package at most hardware stores.  You will need a few standard tools like a nail gun or electric screwdriver, level, measuring tape, and ladder, but these can be rented if you don’t have them around the house.

If you purchased your wood shed in a package from a hardware store, then simply follow the instructions for assembly.  If you purchased the raw materials, then you can certainly find instructions online.  Once the shed is assembled, don’t be afraid to add some of your own unique style.  Tack some metal wall art to the side of the shed, or put some wildlife images on the doors.  This will give it a rustic appeal that will make it appear much more than a storage unit for gardening tools. 

I’ve fancied having a little fishing cabin on a lake all my life, and at the age of 45, my dream came to fruition.  I managed to scrape together my savings and purchase a little cabin out on an alpine lake.  Despite the lake being deep in the mountains, it’s quite sizable, and whether through natural occurrence or human intervention, the lake has a sizable bass population.  I decided to decorate my cabin with fish wall art and fishing inspired furniture.  It’s just a small cabin, only about 500 square feet, but it’s just right for a quick vacation into the wilderness. 

The location is great, the fish are biting, and I met several of the locals who live on the lake and they’re a great bunch of people.  When I go to my fishing cabin for the weekend, I find that come Sunday evening, I just can’t stand the thought of leaving!  Thankfully it’s not too long until I’ll be able to retire and spend a lot more time at the cabin.

When it comes to creating a warm and inviting outdoor space, there’s no better place to start than the garden.  Gardens represent a harmony between man and nature, and provide a relaxing environment for the owner.  In order to create the kind of warm atmosphere you just won’t want to leave, here are a few additions to consider:

~Fire Pit – nothing warms up a space like a fire, it provides both warmth and visual appeal.

~Welcome Sign – it might seem trivial, but when you have guests often, garden welcome signs can really make them feel invited. 

~Garden Swing – there’s nothing quite like curling up in a garden swing with a good book or a loved one. 

~Fountain – for the aesthetic appeal of water and beautiful sounds, a garden fountain is ideal. 

A simple thing you can do to make your house seem more inviting to others is to add a welcome sign out front. Welcome signs can come in all shapes and sizes. Many choose to go for a mat, but they can also be window hangings, posted signs, cut wood, and just about anywhere else you can think of writing welcome.

Not only do they give guests (and sometimes strangers!) that warm feeling when walking up to your door, they add a splash of color and whimsy to your yard. The look of the sign can be tailored to you exactly. Are you really into butterflies? Decorate your sign with them. Do you have a shabby chic theme going on? Use a distressed wood finish. Remember the importance of first impressions – and make yours a good one with a welcome sign.

The kind of welcome a  person has on their front porch many times demonstrates who lives in the house.  Welcome signs can communicate information about the type of person living there . . . their character, their hobbies, interests, or even the number of inhabitants.

The theme of the sign can be Western, Southwestern, or nautical in flavor.  It could make a political, social, religious, or military statement.  The color and design alone is an individual’s preference, and the variations are in the millions. 

Regardless of the theme varieties, the main purpose of a welcome sign is to give your guests a comfortable feeling that they are invited to your home.