Make your dining room a comfortable and elegant place to dine.
(photo: Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images)

Before the table can be set, the cuisine savored, and the conversation relished, a host must create a dining room conducive for such appetites. The quintessential dining space provides a comfortable yet accessible environment according to Cindy Young, owner of Decorating Den Interiors in San Francisco. With a few key additions, any formal dining room can become a great dining room.

Light, Color and Practicality Must Be Served in a Dining Room Plan

Lighting

Soft, warm lighting begins with a semi-transparent valence.
(photo: Getty Images)

Dining rooms should be comfortable spaces, and lighting is an important element to consider.

“Lighting is really key for creating an intimate dining setting,” Young said. “You want to incorporate soft, warm light.”

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, Young said it should be lit for the party. If you don't have a fireplace, put floor lamps around the dining space. Some buffet lights and candles for the tabletop may also give the area some mood lighting.

“You want to establish light around the room for levels and layers of light,” Young said.

Two chandeliers, particularly those that can provide incandescent illumination, are superior choices for overhead lighting, said Ivette Arango, owner of Ivette Arango Design Inc. in Miami.

Arango strongly suggests overhead lighting with a dimming option. That option can create the perfect lighting at any time of day.

Deep Colors

Striped upholstery on chairs adds luxury and
style to a dining space.(photo: Getty Images)

You want to give your guests the sensation of dining in a rich environment. Arango said striped fabrics and luxurious brocades create a sense of opulence. She recommends maintaining a color scheme and aesthetic consistent with the rest of your home, but leaning toward warm, dark colors in the dining room.

Young agrees. She advises people to avoid cooler shades.

“Stay away from blues, because psychologically people associate them with mold,” she said. “Stay away from deep, cool colors and stick to your reds and your yellows.”

She suggests that those with bold tastes fuse metallic accents into the color scheme.

“Add fabrics or window treatments that have sheen or shimmer," she said. "One-hundred percent silk is good for that.”

If you utterly love cool colors and plan to use them no matter what, Young recommends gray and silver. They can form an “elegant and classic” color palette.

“The main thing is you want a dining space to feel relaxed and enjoyable … so you don’t want anything overwhelming to the eye,” she said. “Avoid a lot of contrasting colors.”

Table and Chairs

Mixing the style aesthetic of your chairs and table
make for a modern look. (photo: Getty Images)

Experts have a hard time advising people on dining room furniture because the size of the area is a major factor in which table shape is best for the room.

"It really depends on the size of the room and your goals for entertaining,” Young said.

Both designers said round tables are generally better for small dining rooms. Additionally, a round table creates a greater sense of openness, whereas a rectangular table lends a more formal air.

“Round tables are more inviting to talking; people are more on the same level,” Arango said. “Usually, with a round table you see faces better, you talk better.”

Ideally, there should be 2 feet of space for each of your diners. For a round table, that space should be at least 8 feet wide.

The designers recommend incorporating some sort of furniture that complements the table and chairs. Some options include a credenza, china cabinet or serving board.

“That way, you can have the coffee or dessert at hand but not have everything on top of the table. It makes serving easier,” Arango said.

At all costs, avoid creating a cluttered space that is cumbersome to guests sitting down or getting up from the table.

Accents

Arango and Young say unequivocally that a few extras can help make a dining room perfect. A well-placed mirror will open up a small dining space and accentuate the lighting. If mirrors are not your thing, Young suggests adding tasteful yet unique artwork to provide the space character.

“You need something special for any room,” she said. “Add photographs or art that is special to you and your family and that can be a conversation starter.”

Another smart choice is hardwood, tile or marble flooring with an area rug. A hard-surface floor is easier to clean, and the rug gives the room an extra bit of charm.

“Plus, (the rug) gives you more flexibility in redesigning the space,” Young said.

She suggests a square area rug under a round dining table “to give some shape variability differential to the eye.”

Young said there should be 30 inches of space behind each chair. That should give the chair enough sliding room so it does not come off the carpet.


Source: eHow
Author:Jaime Guillet

Raised bed gardening has a lot of advantages, such as less weeding and accessibility to vegetables or flowers. Since the soil in these beds drains easily, proper watering in a raised bed can be problematic. Because of the high drainage properties in these beds, it may be difficult to over-water, but under-watering is probable. To prevent under-watering, small and frequent applications produce the best results. Drip irrigation is the best way to water in these situations.

Instructions

1. Drill a hole in the side of a plastic garbage can approximately 1 inch from the bottom. The hole should be slightly smaller than the drip irrigation line. Situate the garbage can near the raised bed in an area higher than the bed itself. This will ensure that the water will exit the can through the force of gravity to reach the bed.
2. Insert the drip irrigation line into the hole in the garbage can to where the line has approximately 1 inch exposed inside the can. Push the line into the hole firmly by hand. The small area of the hole will help provide a more water-tight seal. The drip irrigation line must be long enough to stretch from the garbage can to the furthest end of the raised bed.
3. Screw the female end fitting equipped with a small screen to the exposed drip line inside the garbage can, and then push the fitting until it is flush with the inner side of the can. Squeeze plastic sealant generously around the fitting and the drip line inside and outside the can. Allow the sealant to set according to the product's instructions.
4. Stretch the drip irrigation line across the center of the raised bed to the farthest end from the garbage can. Fold the end of the line over and secure it with a hose clamp. Use a screwdriver to tighten the clamp so the water cannot escape from the end of the drip irrigation line.
5. Poke holes for the micro-tubing into the drip irrigation line using the tool provided with the micro-tubing. The amount of holes and tubing necessary depends on how many plants are in the raised bed. Each plant requires one line of micro-tubing. Press the ends of the micro-tubing without the end weights into the holes. Stretch the micro-tubing to the base of each plant. The end weights will hold the tubing in place when you water.
6. Fill the garbage can with water. Put the lid on the garbage can to prevent evaporation and keep debris from entering the water supply. The drip irrigation system will continuously apply small doses of water to the raised bed. Refill the can with water as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• If a poking tool was not provided with the micro-tubing and end weights, use a sharp knife to poke the necessary holes. If needed, apply plastic sealant around where the micro-tubing is inserted into the holes to achieve a water-tight seal.

Source: eHow
Author:Elan Kesilman

Beginning gardeners often look for easy-to-grow plants that will allow them to enjoy the gardening experience without a great deal of maintenance or die-off. Fortunately, there are many kinds of plants, flowers, shrubs and grasses that give great results with a minimum of time and trouble. Of course, you must choose plants that are suitable for the climate in which you live. Consult the U.S. hardiness zone map and your local county agricultural extension for advice on the best plant species for your area.

Easy-Care Annuals

A number of varieties of annual flowers are very easy care and produce beautiful results in outdoor gardens. Marigolds and zinnia are very hardy annuals that you can start from seed, and they will do well even in the heat of summer. Cosmos are a type of flower that is often recommended to beginning gardeners because it is so easy to grow in almost any kind of soil. It is self-seeding, which means it will make more cosmos without having to do anything. Dahlias are another easy-to-grow flowers that give rich rewards with its beauty. It thrives in the sun and will bloom from late summer to early fall.

Hardy Perennials

Perennials are a natural choice for those who want easy-to-grow flowers with few maintenance chores. Peonies produce huge blooms in white, pink, and deep red on tall, woody stems in late spring and early summer and will continue to reappear year after year with just a minimum of care. Hosta is a favorite in many Midwest gardens because it thrives in any shady area and needs little care. Its lush foliage complements any landscape and its tiny purple flower adds interest to any garden. Daylilies produce beautiful orange flowers throughout the growing season, need little care, and spread easily to fill any area.

Bulbs

Once properly planted, garden bulbs will produce blooms year after year, spreading easily to fill the spot they are given. Bulbs come in many different varieties, from tulips and hyacinth to lilies and amaryllis. The trick is to plant them at the correct depth. Always follow package directions carefully to produce good blooms.


Flowering Shrubs

Shrubs are a mainstay of every landscape and are a wonderful backdrop for other plants. For the easiest-care shrubs, plant evergreens like evergreen azaleas that produce lovely flowers in the spring with little care. In the South, crape myrtle produces long-lasting white, pink, lavender or red flowers in the summer and leaves turn orange or red in the fall.

Low-Maintenance Vegetables

There are even a number of easy-to-grow vegetables to add to your garden that will yield tasty results with a minimum of work. Plant carrot seeds in a sunny area and let them grow. Radishes spring out of the ground days after planting and are ready to eat in four to six weeks. Try planting the large seeds of bush beans for an easy-care crop that produces one or two yields per season. They need at least six hours of sun per day.

Source: eHow