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2011-03-03T16:39:00.000+05:00

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Beautiful Modern House Rendered by Marc Canut 02. Mar, 2011 50 Modern Bathrooms 28. Feb, 2011 House With Insane Sea View 24. Feb, 2011 Ashton Kutcher lists his first Hollywood Hills Home 23. Feb, 2011 Themed Teen Rooms (For Artist, Dancer, Rockstar and Scientist!) 23. Feb, 2011

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Holiday Home

2010-10-20T16:15:00.001+05:00

Machynlleth's Premier Caravan Park for Holiday Homes, Touring Caravans, Motorhomes and Camping.

Caravan Holiday Homes for Sale at Morben Isaf
We have an ever changing range of quality used caravan holiday homes for sale, as well as new holiday homes and empty pitches for your own choice of holiday home from Salop Leisure.
Our current list of caravans for sale are:

Holiday Home	Year	Size	Price
Atlas Everglade	2005	35 ft x 12 ft x 3 bedroom with double glazing, 2nd toilet and wash hand basin.	£16,000
Cosalt Celtica	2002	28ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms	£9,995
Atlas Moonstone	2000	28 ft x 12 ft x 2 bedrooms	£6,995
Atlas Florida	2004	32ft x 10 ft x 2 bedrooms	£11,000
Willerby Winchester	2007	38ft x12ft x 2 bedrooms central heating, double glazing, en-suite toilet and wash hand basin, walk in wardrobe	£29,995
Willerby Vacation Mk3	2007	35ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms. Double glazing and plinth heaters.	£21,000
Carnaby Siesta	2002	35ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms	£10,500
Cosalt Baysdale	2004	34ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms	£14,250
Atlas Florida	2004	35ft x 10ft x 3 bedrooms, lovely views	£12,000

Berma Home

2010-10-20T16:13:00.000+05:00

Berma Home Description

This striking home is great for a growing family; with a generous great room over looking a front porch; 4 bedrooms with attached baths; 1 spacious master suite; 1 half bath for guests; a separate study; a lavish kitchen with a terrace; and a convenient drive way that connects to the carport.

Property Information
Property Type/Name:	Berma - New Construction
Country/City	Ghana ...financing available.
Bed	4 Beds
Bath:	3.5 Baths
Size:	326 Sq. Metre(M2)
Property Type:	Single Family
Property Style:	One Stories
Garage:	1
Plot Size:	100' x 80'
Priced from:	$125,510.00

Contact Information
Ghana Office	+208. 919. 529 +024. 463. 4287
North America Office	+1. 847. 754. 4907
Send Email to	info@ghanahomesforsale.com
Our Locations
Ghana Office	Ghana Homes Group InterContinental Estate Developers Asti Agencies Ltd. Trinity House F919/1 1st Ringway Close Accra - Ghana
North America Office	Ghana Homes Group InterContinental Estate Developers 3255 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Suite 511 Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Florida Log Home For Sale by Country EI Log Homes

2010-10-20T16:09:00.000+05:00

Location: 1000 Keen Park Road, Frostproof, Fl. 33843
1 HR. from Orlando/Disney world
1 HR from Tampa
2 ½ from Ft. Lauderdale – Miami
15 minutes to nearby mall, shopping centers, and great restaurants.
Land Description: 2.4 AC. A peaceful dead end road with electric gated private entry. Borders A large track of land that has a combination of woods, fields, and wetlands. Abundant wildlife, and birds. 150’ True lake front, “White sand beach” on pristine, Spring fed, 6000+AC. (Crooked Lake) “Fish & Ski lake” Well Known for it GREAT bass & Spec fishing. Has private spring fed pond. NO deed restrictions against water craft, or sea planes.
Log Shell built by: Leatherwood Log Homes Ltd. 142 Davy RD. Mara BC. Canada VOE 2K0 PH. 250-838-6600 E Mail/Website: Leatherwoodloghomes.com Year built, and complete: 2003-2005. Home was recently featured on front cover of Log Home Design, July 2008 Issue.
Log Home Description: “Hand Crafted” Full Scribed, Scandinavian Swedish cope. Large diameter, (12” – 24”) Termite treated, Old growth Western Red Cedar logs with flared ends.
Home specifications: 2200 SF AC’d, Large ¾ wrap around house porch, 2 large master suite bed rooms, 2 ½ Baths. Hand crafted cedar stair case with railings leading to the 2nd. Floor bed room & loft, which is open to great room. Entire home has Natural wide plank, knotty pine wood flooring throughout, except for bath room areas. All Bathroom flooring is smooth natural Tennessee River rock.
First floor bath has large natural Tennessee River rock cave like double head shower/Jacuzzi jet spa bath. Has 2 natural granite bolder rock sinks, Has a separate vanity top, and a separate toilet room. 2nd floor bath has smooth natural Tennessee River rock shower with thick glass front, and glass door. A pedestal sink, with an Old restored claw foot tub. Great room has a wood burning, Large granite rock fire place, large prow back windows with spectacular views to lake, 27’ high vaulted pine wood ceilings with exposed log perlins, and ridge post. Kitchen has 1 double large and 1 single stainless sink each with a garbage disposal. Under counter garbage compacter, 45” 6 burner top down draft Gen air stove, reverse osmosis under sink for pure water. All cabinets throughout home are maid of old naturally weathered barn wood with 3CM. granite, chipped edges, and flamed brushed tops. All doors are hand made cedar. All windows and glass are double pain. Exterior roof shingles are 50 year Owens corning. There is a ¾ wrap around wooden porch deck. Home and shop are fully wired with alarm system.
Shop Description: A total of 50’ X 24’ with cedar posts, and covered roof with an enclosed cedar sided 22’ X 24” garage/work shop. There is full power, with built in shelving, and storage cabinets along with a 15’ heavy dutie work bench. The bench is equipped with vice, grinder, and a peg board wall surrounding bench. The enclosure has two large metal reinforced cedar doors that have 11.5’ ground clearance with a with total of 13’ there are 2 outside under roof parking areas.

Home construction completion: 2005
Countryei Log Homes
(888) 210-6622 ext 303
www.countryei.com

House Cleaning Tips

2010-09-16T13:34:00.000+05:00

House cleaning is a tiresome chore for most of us. Nonetheless, it needs to be done regularly. Most of us fret by the thought of cleaning house regularly. Still, if it is done with a proper procedure and technique, it can be a fun and less time consuming job. Following are some tips for house cleaning.

House Cleaning Tips
You must be knowing that if work is divided, it is easier to do and also complete it. Therefore, split the work and do it part by part. If you start cleaning all the rooms and closets and walls and the laundry at one time, you will only end up in a bigger mess. Hence, the key lies in doing it part by part. Similarly, division of labor is also equally important. Distributing the work among family members can save a lot of time as well as energy. Let us make a start with the following household cleaning tips. Know more on house cleaning rates.

Clean the Clutter
One of the best house cleaning tips is to simply pick up the things lying around and put them in their places. With this, nearly half of your job is done. So start from the living room; pick up the magazines, papers, glasses and dishes from the coffee table and couch. The same things may also be lying on the side table in your bedroom. Also, throw away all the left over foodstuffs, empty cartons and other stuff from the kitchen and put the greasy dishes and utensils in the sink.

Clean the Household Appliances
With the help of a feather brush, clean the music system, television set and other things in the living room. In the kitchen, clean the refrigerator, oven and microwave according to the instructions given in the user's manual. Do not clean kitchen appliances by splashing water in it. Clean the mirror and dressing table with a semi wet cloth. Also clean all the wall hangings and decorative articles in each of the room with a feather duster.

Wash the Washables
Now take down the curtains and cushion covers from the living room and put them in the laundry. Similarly, change the bed spreads in the bedroom and replace with fresh ones. Do the dishes in the kitchen in one go. If they are extra oily or greasy, soak them in soapy water for 20-25 minutes and then wash them. Similarly, clean the kitchen counter top with soap and water. In the bathroom, clean the sink and toilet with suitable cleaners. Also take down the shower curtain for cleaning. Do not forget to clean the mirror and faucets.

Vacuum the Floors
This should always come last, as all the dust and dirt from other articles gathers on the floor as you clean them. Therefore, it is always advisable to clean the floors at the end. Vacuum all around the living room, kitchen and bedrooms. Clean the floor in the bathroom with water and brush. Also look out for the dust in corners, windows and window sills. Move the furniture and clean under it if possible.

Clean the Closets
Now once we are done with all the above, most of us will hardly have any energy and patience left to clean the closets. Therefore, this can be shifted to the next day. Start with the drawers in the living room. It is always better to start with the topmost one first and going downwards. In the kitchen cabinets, throw away all the unused and expired items and rearrange the remaining ones according to their daily necessity and usage. For e.g., keep the cornflakes at the front. Read more on housekeeping.

House Organizing Tips
There are certain tips for house cleaning that can help in minimizing the work and time required for cleaning. They include:

Clean the spills on the carpets, mats, floors, counter tops, walls, refrigerators, etc. immediately when they occur. This way you won't have to struggle with them later.
Cleaning the laundry daily instead of weekly can reduce a lot of weekend work.
Organize and plan your work by making your own house cleaning schedule and house cleaning checklist.
Make a habit of returning things to their proper places after use. This will also be helpful when looking for things during an emergency.
Go through the refrigerator everyday and throw away whatever has expired or is empty.

Lastly, put on some good music or have someone to help you, and you will realize that house cleaning is not all that boring! I hope these house cleaning tips will be helpful in making this tiresome job more interesting! Also remember, multitasking can be extremely helpful!

Home Cleaning Solutions

2010-09-16T13:20:00.000+05:00

A clean home not only looks attractive but also help you keep various health problems at bay. So cleaning your house regularly is something that needs no mention. If you follow the cleaning and vacuuming routine, you would hardly need to get into tough cleaning task. Well, cleaning home consists of kitchen cleaning, floor cleaning, upholstery cleaning and much more, which you need to do properly to have a clean and healthy place to stay in. Here are some home cleaning solutions to help you get the best results.

Best Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Vinegar
One of the natural and easy solutions for home cleaning is white vinegar. Keeping a gallon of the same at home can be useful in many ways. You can mix it in water and use for cleaning flooring and wall tiles, even the wood flooring. It is also one of the best ways to clean carpet. What's more, this easily helps you get rid of smelly washing machine or refrigerator after a wipe. You can also clean your hands with this after cutting an onion, and the smell will vanish. White vinegar and water mixed in equal parts makes an effective glass cleaning solution. For clean wooden furniture use 4 tbsp. white vinegar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 quart of warm water.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is another useful ingredient to clean your home. This can be used to unclog a drainpipe. Pour a cup of salt and baking soda in the pipe and leave for about 30 minutes before pouring water. Also, you can make one of the effective home cleaning solutions for tough stains using equal amounts of white vinegar and baking soda. You can clean wooden furniture and wooden window frames using a mixture of baking soda and toothpaste. Read more on carpet cleaning solutions.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is amongst the best home cleaning solutions. One of the cleaning tips for your home is that you must use hydrogen peroxide only on white surfaces. You can use this homemade house cleaning solution for the bathtub, white sink, white flooring, white bathroom tiles. The reason is that hydrogen peroxide can often discolor the surface. Check out these useful house cleaning tips.

Dishwashing Detergents
For cleaning your kitchen countertops it is safe to opt for cleaning detergents. Whether it is a marble or granite countertop, detergents works well in clearing the stains. Mix the detergent in water to make a solution and apply it on the marble with a sponge, rub the tough stains and wash off with water. Remember that using detergent on regular basis might lead to soap scum built-up on the countertop which will take away its shine. Hence, you can first try using lukewarm water and rub the countertop with sponge. If you have successfully cleaned it, no need to use a detergent. In case you opt for detergent, make sure you remove it thoroughly using clean water. One of the home cleaning tips is to restrict use of any ingredients like lemon, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide on marble surfaces as it can easily get discolored with these.

Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains acid which helps remove tough stains. It also helps get rid of rust stains. Lemon can be used to clean dirty dishes, faucet, white tiles, grout cleaning, for cleaning plastic items, floor cleaning (except marble). Slice a lemon and rub it on the surface to be cleaned. Leave it as it is for 30 minutes and wash off with clean, cold water. This is one of the easy home cleaning remedies. It is one of the effective home cleaning solutions for your white laundry. Just add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle to get cleaner and whiter clothes.

Expert Solution for Home Cleaning Blues

2010-09-16T13:11:00.001+05:00

Home sweet home!’ This is how you feel after returning to your abode after a tiring day’s work. But is there something that makes you feel less enthusiastic about what your home has to offer? Is it possible that your dampened spirits might be the result of your inability to maintain your house in proper order? Cobwebs in your cupboard, oil stains on your kitchen tiles, dust on the tables, overflowing dustbins… the list is endless! These are enough reasons to give you nightmares when you get home.

The hectic lifestyle of the majority of the urban population leaves them with very little time to manage other household chores. Many of us are even unwilling to have guests round so as to avoid being embarrassed on account of untidy houses. These are worrying problems indeed, but as the saying goes: 'there is a solution to every problem'. Thanks to the help of professional agencies providing exclusive housework and cleaning services.

Home cleaning services have come as a great relief to families, especially if the married couples both happen to be workers. Professional home cleaning agencies offer an entire package of housecleaning services ranging from dusting, vacuuming, polishing, mopping and other regular domestic duties. The cleaning services can be used according to your own circumstances. Most families prefer weekends for all the cleaning jobs, thus allowing them enough time to relax and spend quality time with each other.

The advantages of professional housework services do not end here. Expert cleaning services provided by the cleaning agencies ensure proper maintenance of the larger house. With their cleaning services near at hand, you can be assured of fresh carpets without dust mites, cobweb free cupboards, shining floors- to be precise, a fresh clean house. One of the biggest advantages of calling for professional help is that you don’t have to tell them what to do. These cleaners know their job well and are highly efficient, and will complete their cleaning work within a few hours. That's the reason why landlords too prefer hiring professional home cleaning services to get their property ready for the next tenant.

Professional cleaning services also cater to the needs of shops, offices, showrooms and home businesses. In some cases when you use a local cleaner to sort out the mess of your office, you might have to wait for a week! Using home cleaning agencies not only guarantees quality work but also cuts down on time. Just in case you happened to look around your squeaky clean house, you eyes might land on the pile of clothes that need ironing. The good news is, these professional house workers not only clean your house but also sort out the ever-increasing pile of ironing.

Housework and home cleaning services thus allow you to relax during weekends without worrying over the impending household chores that used to haunt you in your sleep. So do away with your cleaning blues- just call up the experts!

Home Cleaning Services

2010-09-16T13:10:00.000+05:00

Having your home cleaned by someone else can be a luxury to anyone, but having it done when you move into a brand new home and leave your old one can save you many hours of cleaning that you really don’t want to take part in.

House cleaning can range from many various options, whether it’s a basic clean of your home or everything imaginable being cleaned. It will vary on what you select and the cost of the cleaning services.

It can be difficult determining whether you should or should not utilize house cleaning services over doing it yourself, and many feel that it can be a waste of money having someone else clean their home. In the end there are many pros and cons to having someone clean your home for you. When you don’t seem to have the time to clean your home you can find yourself getting frustrated.

One major time that it can be difficult to get your home clean is after you are moving. Usually when a house is sold it’s required to be cleaned for the next home owners. After you’ve just moved to a new home though one of the last things on your mind is having to clean the house you just left, so why not have someone else do it for you? Instead of wasting more time in a house that is no longer yours have a house cleaning company do it for you.

This is the same for when you are moving into a home that doesn’t seem to be overly clean and the previous owners didn’t take the time to clean the house. It can be quite frustrating to have to move into a home that is not yet clean, so having a house cleaning company do it for you can be less frustrating and allow you to move into a home that’s spotless.

When it comes to house cleaning services not all offer the same type of services. Some only do certain cleaning and others offer others. This will require you to do some research on your local cleaning services to find exactly what you need. Home cleaning services can be quite beneficial for those with little time to spare.

As you can see there are many benefits to having someone else clean your home, but if you are worried that they are not going to do it the exact way you want it give the cleaners a list of some things that they may not do. Do interviews with the companies and ask as many questions possible. You must remember they are going to be cleaning your home and if they can’t live up to your expectations then it’s just going to be a waste of time for everyone. Don’t find yourself wasting money with a house cleaning company that doesn’t do what you want, find the perfect one and you’ll be happy with the results and not be redoing things yourself. Remember it is your home; you live in it, not them.

European Home Plans

2010-09-16T10:30:00.000+05:00

European-style homes borrow materials and exterior details that are common to the French, English Cottage, Spanish home plans, and Mediterranean architectural traditions. Typical features of European-style home plans include keystones, quoins, copper-top bays, repeated arches, wrought-iron balconies, clay-tile roofs and decorative window boxes. Exterior cladding is usually stucco, stone or brick. The best-designed European-style home plans are enjoying a resurgence in the United States.

Features

Keystones and quoins
Repeated arches
Bay roofs

Country Home Plans

2010-09-16T10:28:00.000+05:00

One of the most popular styles of home design in the United States right now is the traditional country house. Typically, country home plans combine several traditional architectural details on their well-proportioned, cozy facades. Look for porches, gables, lap siding, shuttered windows, and dormer windows on country home plans. Their famous nostalgic look lends them their enduring appeal. Picture a home in a Norman Rockwell painting and, inevitably, you'll be imagining a country home plan. Perfect examples of country home plans are also found in New England and the South.

Features

Front porch
Shutters
Lap siding
Dormers

House Plan

2010-09-16T10:26:00.000+05:00

Having an architect draw out the house plans for your upcoming home construction can be very costly. Luckily, you can draw out your own custom house plans for free by using one of the many architectural software programs available in trial form. These effective programs will give you all the tools you need to complete professional-quality drawings at no cost.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You'll Need:

3D Home Architect Program, Free Trial Version
Computer

1

Download a free trial version of an architectural program such as 3D Home Architect (see References). The trial version of 3D Home Architect will give you all the tools necessary to complete your drawing. Once you've downloaded the program, open a new plan file by clicking on the tab "File" at the top of the screen and selecting "New" from the list. The screen will turn white, indicating that the new file is ready to be customized.
2

Add the walls to the house plan. Click on the tab that looks like a cross-section of a wall. This is the wall tool, and it will allow you to draw out the walls of the house and measure them as you draw, providing exact dimensions. Once the tool is selected, click and drag the exterior walls of your house. Make sure the walls are proportionate by watching the measurements as you draw. Once finished, draw the interior walls to separate different rooms in the house.
3

Add the windows and doors to the house plan. Click on the tab that looks like an open window. This is the window tool, and when you click on it a separate screen will appear containing different types of windows. Select the window you want to add to your home design, and click on a wall to place the window. To add a door, click on the tab that looks like an open door. Once selected, another screen will appear with door choices. Click on the door you like, and click onto your design where you want the door to go. Repeat this until you have inserted all the doors and windows you want in your house.
4

Add the plumbing and electrical fixtures. To add plumbing, click on the utilities tool, which looks like a toilet. This will take you to a new screen containing various plumbing items, such as bathtubs, water heaters and sinks. Insert the plumbing items that you want in your house. Next, click on the electrical tool, which looks like an electrical outlet. Then, simply click anywhere on your house design to add outlets.
5

Add the roof to complete the house. To do this click on the roof tool, which looks like a gable roof. A new screen will appear containing different styles of roofing and different pitches. Choose the roof style and pitch that you prefer, then click "OK." The roof will automatically be placed onto your house design, and your plan will be complete.

Finding your Dream Home

2010-09-16T10:17:00.000+05:00

Quick search helps you find a home that fits your overall lifestyle needs
Advanced search allows you to choose from an abundant list of amenities that help narrow your results
Collection has plans categorized by architectural styles for easy searching
Find out what your dream home will cost to build by using our estimated cost to build by zip code feature
Exclusive resource center has helpful articles, tips & tools starting from the ground up, including building green, home financing, decorating, landscaping and much more
Save favorites, compare plans, create your own personal printable catalog of your favorite dream homes
Look for builders in your area using the locate a builder function
Create an account to sign up for discounts, free books and promotional offers
If you are a builder sign up for the free Builder’s Advantage program for extra benefits
and more...our extensive project plan collection includes garages, sheds, decks, backyard and many other great projects for your home

Looking for the home of your dreams can be a very daunting task. The terms home plans, home designs and floor plans are all one in the same, but can often be confusing to a new home buyer when searching for their dream home. Our goal at houseplansandmore.com is to help you find your dream home plan that incorporates every architectural design feature you need to make your new home highly functional for your lifestyle. We offer pre-drawn floor plans ready for you to purchase and build as is, or to use as a starting point to your own custom design, including all of the amenities you could ever want.
Houseplansandmore.com offers a wide variety of home building resources and helpful tools all in one convenient website organized to make your home plan search simple and easy. Find a blueprint that fits your style and your budget. Our resources include our home plan cost estimator, our advanced search, and other resources made to make your job easier. With the assistance of our Cost Estimator feature, you can locate the house plans within your budget quickly and easily. Or if you prefer, compare house plans by their price to build. We also allow you to enter your zip code and determine a specific home's estimated cost to build within that zip code - not like most websites that only offer regionalized cost to build.
Our collection features several different home plan styles categorized for easy searching. You can search house plans by style, which allows buyers to view all of the house plans available for a certain home style. Our wide variety of blueprints allows you to find the dream home you have been looking for with ease.
You can also use our website to locate a builder in your area. As part of the resource center, you can just click on the state where you intend to build your dream home and a list of qualified builders appears. Our Builder's Advantage program provides an opportunity for builders to receive discounts, free plan books and benefits. Builders can find blue prints for their house plan and project plan needs all in one place. It's another way to make the entire building process even easier from start to finish.
Houseplansandmore.com has the best homes all in one place, so finding the home of your dreams is simple and fun. The search for your special home can be rewarding and fun if you have all the information from the start. As a division of HDA, Inc., we are dedicated to enabling families to build and improve their home, providing all of the resources you need in one place. With a large variety of architectural designs, we are sure you will find the plan that is right for you. Browse our site and find the perfect designer home. And, when your dream home is completed, check out our household project plans section that includes several hundred do-it-yourself projects. Our project plan collection includes garage plans, shed plans, backyard project plans, and plans for other great project plans for your home. Our project plans are the perfect addition to your new completed home!

House Plans

2010-09-16T10:14:00.000+05:00

Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat View or Print Clearer Image (PDF) of Main Level Click here to Mirror Reverse plan
Elevation Details Main Level 2nd Level Lower Level Elevation #2 Rear View	Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat View or Print Clearer Image (PDF) of 2nd Level Click here to Mirror Reverse plan
Elevation Details Main Level 2nd Level Lower Level Elevation #2 Rear View	Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat View or Print Clearer Image (PDF) of Lower Level Click here to Mirror Reverse plan
Elevation Details Main Level 2nd Level Lower Level Elevation #2 Rear View	Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat Click here to Mirror Reverse plan
Elevation Details Main Level 2nd Level Lower Level Elevation #2 Rear View	Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat Click here to Mirror Reverse plan

House Plans and Home Designs

2010-09-16T10:09:00.001+05:00

Yes, but don't take our word for it. Just key in the web address of any online home plan provider and you’ll discover that more people visit COOLhouseplans.com than any other home plans website.

Our plans come directly from the designer or architect to you.

When you order your home plans from COOLhouseplans.com the construction drawings will be shipped directly to you from the design firm that designed your home. If you have any questions before or during the construction of your new house, simply pick up the phone and call the design firm listed on the product package or on the front page of your new house plans.

Unique house plans collection!

At The COOL House Plans Company we choose to provide all home plans offered by each of the home designers. With such an amazing variety, you can decide for yourself what's hot and what's not. If we featured only our best-selling home plans, our collection would be just the same as our competitors’ (yawn). Some of the home designs you’ll find on COOLhouseplans.com are unique to this house plans website.

Searching through tens of thousands of stock home plans has never been easier.

Search by categories such as One-Story Homes, Two-Story Homes, Luxury or Small Home Plans. Or, you can simply search by home styles such as Country, Victorian, Colonial, Traditional, European, Mediterranean and many more. You can even search for a home plan according to your individual needs. For example, are you tired of climbing stairs at bedtime? Search for homes with the master bedroom on the main level. We’ve made it easy to find a home plan that’s right for you.

Building a new house but can’t find the perfect houseplans?

It is not uncommon for our customers to want to make changes to a home’s floor plan. Depending on your individual needs, you may want to move walls or enlarge the size of your garage. Maybe you’ll need to change the home’s foundation type, or increase ceiling heights to suit your specific taste. Whatever the case, your home builder or a local home designer can help you make changes, or you can call our modification service at 800-482-0464. Remember, any home plan can be changed, and almost any change can be made, so let our experienced design staff create a customized home plan that meets your specific needs and desires.

Custom building material cost estimates to build your new house (based on your zip code).

You've selected a home plan to build, but with so many available choices in building materials, the cost of construction could vary greatly. BuildQuote™ takes the guesswork out of construction cost estimating by allowing you to compare the use of various building materials for the same house based on your choices and where you will build the home in the USA.

The Once and Future Kitchen

2010-09-16T10:07:00.001+05:00

The open kitchen, as illustrated in architect Leon Meyer’s handsome contemporary

Seasons Plan 496-2 — is not a new idea.

The modern habit of combining cooking, dining, and living functions in one space harks back to the early American home, where everything was done beside a large open hearth,

as illustrated at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning (in one of the so-called Nationality Rooms, which you can visit). It was a “Great Room” before there was such a concept. Later kitchens became separated or closed off from the rest of the house partly to protect from fire and partly to accommodate emerging systems and equipment like indoor plumbing and new-fangled appliances. The kitchen became more specialized. In their book The American Woman’s Home , published in 1869, two famous sisters — Catherine Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe — argued for efficiency. Their ideal design provided separate areas for storage, food preparation, and cooking.

They set the kitchen apart as a kind of laboratory (see the University of Houston for more about this book.)
But by the mid twentieth century an interest in more casual arrangements along with the rise of venting devices like fans (to evacuate cooking odors) lead to the dining or family-kitchen,

like this one by ranch house designer Cliff May from the 1940s, with its kitchen pass-through and big Colonial style hearth that also includes a modern barbecue (presumably the rifle is just an accessory).
More recently the advent of quieter dishwashers and refrigerators has made it possible to make the kitchen part of a larger entertaining space, as we have seen with the Meyer design. Throw the fire back in, along with walls that disappear to unite inside and outside

and you might get the Colonial/ranch house kitchen — “Part Deux.” This 21st century example was designed by Sebastian Mariscal Studio (photo courtesy the same).

Inception Begins in the Basement

2010-09-16T10:04:00.000+05:00

As dream manipulator Dom Cobb in the film Inception – which here means planting an idea in the brain instead of extracting it — Leonardo DiCaprio says to young, artfully named architect Ariadne, well played by Ellen Page: “We always wanted to live in a house but we really liked these buildings.” They’re touring a super-dense dreamscape of modern highrises conjured out of a collage of real and fictional buildings. The poster provides a glimpse of an imaginary Downtown — see the gable-roofed wing of Los Angeles’ Biltmore Hotel peaking around a corner in the distance.

A nondescript hotel elevator lobby enjoys some suspenseful choreography. And the horizontally striped L. A. Department of Water & Power headquarters, shown below (courtesy you-are-here.com) forms the base of an immense “Seussian” skyscraper — in the clever phrase of LA Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne, who observed in a recent piece that, overall, it’s pretty bland architecture for a film that’s about imagination.

I agree (though I’m a big fan of the Water & Power building), but hey, then I discovered that the house Dom and his wife Mal actually called home is a Craftsman style landmark by Greene & Greene — at least according to the website Curbed.

The courtyard is shown above (it’s the Freeman Ford residence of 1907, courtesy Greene & Greene Virtual Archives, USC). In any case, several scenes take place along a hallway and in a wood-paneled dining room that definitely have the look of Greene & Greene. This image, not from the film but from

the Wood-and-Light website of author and photographer David Mathias — captures the honeyed atmosphere of the Cobb home. Sounds a little contradictory – they like slick, machine-like, contemporary but inhabit warm, hand-crafted, romance (or is that the other way around?), but then the mind is full of surprises and a good house plan website could always help them figure things out. And guess what, in one of the dream sequences you reach the house by taking a highrise elevator down to the basement: literally the foundation of all dreams, not to mention the source of all plumbing angels and furnace demons. Talk about Metaphorland!
Needless to say director Christopher Nolan’s film is an enthralling and very entertaining ride and planted the idea in my mind — inception indeed — that good architecture begins at home, perhaps even in the basement. (For more on the locations that were used in filming read the fascinating On the Road blog by Jerry Garrett.)
Which leads me to thinking that a basement should be built for brainstorms. Here’s one that includes a Sport Court:

It’s Dutch Colonial Plan 56-604. Or how about acing a bank shot in a game of billiards.

You can do that in the basement of Marcia Trionfale Plan 481-1 by architect Bud Dietrich. Of course basement garages work well in some situations,

as in Linacre Plan 496-1 by architect Leon Meyer. But media rooms might work best, as illustrated by Prairie Style Plan 56-601

in a house on a slope, which allows for a wall of glass. A good place to watch building — I mean block — busters and dream about your new home.

Small Bathrooms, Big Ideas

2010-09-16T10:02:00.001+05:00

A leaky shower head this morning — drenching everything in our tiny bathroom but me — reaffirmed my long held wish for a real walk-in shower and not the kind that’s part of a tub. But we have very limited space (not to mention resources) so here are some examples to consider while I hire a plumber and start saving up.
Architect Jonathan Feldman is particularly adept at coaxing an airy functional elegance out of small bathing spaces. This shower occupies one end of the long narrow room. We don’t really need two shower heads but the idea of using the width of the space as a “shower room” is compelling. Another even more compact ensemble also appeals to me.

The deep window shelf, minimalist materials and fixtures, and natural light coming from two directions give this tiny bathroom a measure of serenity. On the other hand if one must have a bathtub then the Feldman approach seems right.

Again, he cleverly uses the width of the space; this time turning a tub into a liquid bay window (photos by Paul Dyer, courtesy Feldman Architects).
Architect Sarah Susanka used a novel window/mirror combination to make her narrow bathroom seem larger in her Not So Big Prototype 454-3 Plan.

The mirror and the window draw the eye to the end of the bathroom, blurring the edges of the space beside the steps up to the tub. Where there’s a little more space take a look at this example, with a platform tub and shower, that’s in our Flexahouse Plan 445-3 by architect Nick Noyes.

Though the drawing is schematic you can see the orderly simplicity of the arrangement — there is no wasted space. Or look at a platform tub and shower design by Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects.

The skillful use of small mosaic tile to delineate the room-within-the-room make a fairly generous space feel even more open and bright and the skylight above the shower floods both the shower and the tub with light. This idea — of a wet corner — could easily be applied to smaller spaces. And finally, because it’s summer and I am a fan of the outdoor shower here’s a particularly handsome example, also by the Turnbull firm:

Look closely or you might miss it — the shower is against the leafy wall in a private patio off the master bathroom. Now that’s a place where a plumbing leak could create a geyser and it would be just fine (photos courtesy TGH Architects).

Small Bathrooms, Big Ideas

2010-09-16T10:01:00.001+05:00

A leaky shower head this morning — drenching everything in our tiny bathroom but me — reaffirmed my long held wish for a real walk-in shower and not the kind that’s part of a tub. But we have very limited space (not to mention resources) so here are some examples to consider while I hire a plumber and start saving up.

Architect Jonathan Feldman is particularly adept at coaxing an airy functional elegance out of small bathing spaces. This shower occupies one end of the long narrow room. We don’t really need two shower heads but the idea of using the width of the space as a “shower room” is compelling. Another even more compact ensemble also appeals to me.

The deep window shelf, minimalist materials and fixtures, and natural light coming from two directions give this tiny bathroom a measure of serenity. On the other hand if one must have a bathtub then the Feldman approach seems right.

Again, he cleverly uses the width of the space; this time turning a tub into a liquid bay window (photos by Paul Dyer, courtesy Feldman Architects).

Architect Sarah Susanka used a novel window/mirror combination to make her narrow bathroom seem larger in her Not So Big Prototype 454-3 Plan.

The mirror and the window draw the eye to the end of the bathroom, blurring the edges of the space beside the steps up to the tub. Where there’s a little more space take a look at this example, with a platform tub and shower, that’s in our Flexahouse Plan 445-3 by architect Nick Noyes.

Though the drawing is schematic you can see the orderly simplicity of the arrangement — there is no wasted space. Or look at a platform tub and shower design by Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects.

The skillful use of small mosaic tile to delineate the room-within-the-room make a fairly generous space feel even more open and bright and the skylight above the shower floods both the shower and the tub with light. This idea — of a wet corner — could easily be applied to smaller spaces. And finally, because it’s summer and I am a fan of the outdoor shower here’s a particularly handsome example, also by the Turnbull firm:

Look closely or you might miss it — the shower is against the leafy wall in a private patio off the master bathroom. Now that’s a place where a plumbing leak could create a geyser and it would be just fine (photos courtesy TGH Architects).

House Plans made EASY!

2010-09-16T09:31:00.001+05:00

House Plans
So you're looking for a house plan to build your new home, right? Well, where do you even begin?!

Building your own home is an exciting adventure, but you definitely want to start things off right by getting the right house plan. And that's where we come in -- The Plan Collection is here to help you find a house plan that is right for you.

If you're reading this article, you've probably seen quite a few online house plan sites. In fact, you've probably already been through hundreds -- if not thousands -- of different house plans. We know how frustrating it can be to find a website that boasts tens of thousands of house plans, but once you're on the website, you can't find anything you like. It's really discouraging, isnt it?

Well, we at The Plan Collection like to do things just a little bit differently. Take a look at our homepage; what do you see? Well, there's our house plan search tool, a few featured house plans, and of course, our main article. That's it.

We like to keep things simple, easy, and uncluttered -- that's why we just stick with house plans. We don't need to offer you free t-shirts or baseball caps, like other house plan websites. We don't advertise car insurance or gardening magazines. We at The Plan Collection are committed to helping you find your dream home, so we have designed our website accordingly.

House plans are what we know. House plans are what we love; so that's what we offer -- HOUSE PLANS.

Our Indoor Air

2010-09-16T09:28:00.000+05:00

Think about how you spend your days: working, studying, playing, shopping, sleeping. Now think about where you spend your days. Most of us spend at least 80% of our time indoors, and that percentage increases during the winter. So how these indoor environments make us feel really matters.

While we usually think of air pollution as an outdoor phenomenon, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor-air quality is often five times worse - and can be more than 100 times worse - than the air outdoors. In the mid-1980s, the World Health Organization determined that as many as 30% of buildings worldwide have poor indoor-air quality, causing "sick building syndrome" symptoms.

In the past, concern about indoor pollutants centered on the long-term diseases caused by cigarette smoke and by radon, asbestos and lead exposure. While these are still serious issues, health officials have become aware of a broader range of common indoor pollutants.

In many buildings, bad air is often the result of a buildup of fungi, mold and bacteria, which can cause everything from asthma attacks to the deadly Legionnaire's disease. In addition to these biological hazards, various building materials, finishes, furnishings, office equipment, heating systems and household products can create a toxic smog in our dwellings. Some building finishes and furnishings release, or "off-gas," volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene and toluene - known or suspected carcinogens. Some electronic office equipment off-gasses ozone. Gas heaters and stoves release carbon monoxide.

Here are some examples of materials and products that are prime sources of indoor air pollution:

* Building materials: treated wood products such as particle board, adhesives
* Finishes: paint, carpeting
* Furnishings: upholstery fabrics
* Office equipment: copiers, printers, fax machines
* Heating systems: gas heaters and stoves
* Household products: cleaners, detergents, pesticides, air fresheners, perfumes and even those stinky dry-erase markers

Fumes from these materials typically do not make people sick in structures with good air flow. The energy crisis of the 1970s prompted construction of tightly sealed buildings with windows that cannot be opened, and inadequate ventilation. While this did help to conserve energy, it also contributed to the indoor air-quality problems we have today. Ventilation standards have since been raised, but the air quality in your home, school or office may still be poor.

Short of having an indoor-air-quality specialist do an assessment of the buildings where you live and work, here are some things you can do to safeguard your health:

* Open the windows from time to time to get some outside air flowing through the rooms.
* When using paint or chemical products, or bringing new furniture or materials into the building, allow the rooms to air out for a day before occupying them.
* When you're doing renovation work or interior decorating, look for formaldehyde-free particleboard and carpeting and VOC-free paints and adhesives.
* If you're ready to replace your carpet, consider switching to wood or linoleum flooring, since carpets make great habitat for bacteria and mold.
* Keep office equipment, such as copiers and printers, away from the area where you spend the most time.
* Make sure that your heating, ventilation and cooling systems get routine maintenance, such as filter replacement.
* Remove any water-damaged carpeting and ceiling tiles.
* Use a carbon-monoxide detector.
* Keep paints, adhesives, cleaning products and pesticides in well-ventilated areas away from your main living quarters.
* Reduce or eliminate your use of chemical cleaning products, air fresheners, pesticides and other chemical products.
* Buy indoor plants, such as the spider plant and golden pothos, which absorb carbon monoxide and formaldehyde from the air.

Is it hard to modify a set of House Plans?

2010-09-16T09:26:00.000+05:00

House Plans with some modifications

Do you know what you're looking for in a set of house plans? You probably do. Most people who visit our website have at least a vague idea of what they want in a home; there are some people who know exactly what they want -- down to the smallest detail.

So here you are on the Internet, looking through house plans on top of house plans. Do you ever get frustrated when you find a home design that seems to fit what you want, but it just doesn't have the right feel? Maybe the bathroom is arranged wrong, or maybe there isn't enough cabinet space in the kitchen. For some reason or another, this particular set of house plans doesn't quite fit.

Have you ever considered hiring a draftsman to modify a set of house plans?

House Plan Modifications are EASY! For most people, hiring someone to make changes to house plans is a very scary concept. Think about it, you're going out to find someone who will change the design of your home -- your living space -- and youre paying him quite a bit to do it! Most house plan modification services cost anywhere from $65 to $100 an hour. If that isn't scary, I don't know what is! Many people are worried that their costs will skyrocket; others are afraid that the finished product won't be what they had imagined; still others feel their blood pressure rise just by the thought of searching out and hiring a draftsman. It's perfectly normal to feel a bit apprehensive when it comes to modifying a set of house plans.

The Plan Collection can make it easier to get your dream house plans.

So it's kinda scary to hire someone to modify your house plans... well, we're here to help. First of all, you may not even need to hire someone. Some simple modifications can be made by your builder. Moving a window or door, adding a fireplace, or changing the exterior finish of a home can usually be done in the field -- without paying a draftsman to redraw the house plans.

If you have some relatively simple changes in mind (i.e. modifications that don't require any changes to the structure of the home), you should discuss them with your builder. He will tell you whether or not he can red-line these changes in the field. If he can't, or if your local building council won't allow red-lining, you will have to hire someone else to help -- and that's where we come in.

Give us a call at 866-787-2023. Most of our house plans can be modified by their original designers. In some cases, the designers are either retired, or they prefer not to change any of their existing house plans; but that's okay -- we can get you set up one way or another.

Know EXACTLY what you want.

Just make sure that you know exactly what you want. It's very difficult to interpret a request like, "add 3 more bedrooms and 1 more bath," or, "reduce this home by 1,000 square feet." These kinds of requests just aren't feasible unless you have a specific plan of action. You need to think about how your changes are going to affect the look and feel of the home, and you're going to have to explain it to us.

Remember that although we're here to help in any way we can, at the end of the day, The Plan Collection is not an architectural firm -- we just sell house plans. We can give a few suggestions, but it's ultimately up to you to decide how the changes are to be made. We can't offer a consultation service. You tell us exactly what to do to the house plans, and we'll get them drawn accordingly -- in a quick and professional manner.

Most house plan modifications can be made within 2 or 3 weeks. Please call us if you have any questions -- we're here to help you find your dream home, and if you need to make modifications to the house plans in order to achieve that dream, so be it. We'll help you get there!

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending

2010-09-16T09:23:00.001+05:00

We at The Plan Collection just received an email from one of our past customers, and with his permission, I'd like to share a little bit about his experiences. It's a success story that will show you just how enjoyable an adventure building your own home can be -- especially if you get things started off on the right foot. I'd just like to highlight a few key points that helped give this project a happy ending:

CHOOSE THE RIGHT HOUSE PLANS

Like most people, Garry had considered building a home for quite some time, but he had a few concerns:

"I had been thinking about building but wasn't sure how it would work on such a narrow lot. I went to Google and just typed 'House Plans < 25 feet wide'. Your site came up. This plan was the third unit I looked at and fell in love with it."

Garry also went on to say that,

We really liked working with The Plan Collection site for a couple of reasons. We loved all the choices. There were so many homes to choose from. We also really liked the 'Advanced Search' because we had some very special requirements and this search option helped us narrow our choices down to the plan we fell in love with.

HIRE THE RIGHT PROFESSIONALS

Early on, Garry and his wife chose to hire a professional interior designer -- Annie Florin from HPF DESIGNS -- and that made all the difference. According to Garry:

"We chose to work with a designer because of the many decisions that need to be made right up front that affect so many other choices further along in the process. If we had made a mistake early on, we could have easily jeopardized the look of our beautiful home in the end. We chose to seek out a professional who understood the consequences of decisions that needed to be made and what effects it would have to the overall appearance of the home. We chose to go with an independent decorator vs. the builder's 'on site' decorator because we found that the independent would make sure our interests were met, not just that of the builder's. We have heard horror stories of couples getting divorced over building a house. That is such a shame. This project was so easy with the aid of our designer. My wife and I have different taste and the designer was able to hear both of our ideas and bring things together that satisfied both of us. It was so easy we didn't even realize it was happening. I have also heard, 'I wish I would have done this or that.' I can say we have both said I wouldn't change anything. With an investment of this magnitude a designer's fee is probably the best money spent in my opinion, whatever it is."

And what makes this story even better is that this particular home actually ended up taking 3^rd place at a local Parade of Homes -- along with many other awards, including "Best Kitchen". Here are a few of the photos:

And here is my personal favorite -- the custom fireplace.

All of this amazing interior design was brought to you by HPF Designs, and they also made the custom fireplace, kitchen cabinetry, and the custom desk unit.

Channel for Love

2010-09-16T09:21:00.001+05:00

I just saved a Bull Frog in the cistern we are restoring in our 100 year old barn. She is a beautiful creature and has lived there for for perhaps more than a year. But since we are about to do some heavy duty construction on the barn's foundation, I needed to go down through a very narrow hole to retrieve her.

I grabbed her with two hands and looked into her eyes before placing her in a plastic jar to hand to Tom, my husband, who had created a large pool for her in the basement.

A Saint Francis moment, indeed.

Saint Francis moments abound here on Blue Heron Farm, which we call this beautiful place.

We live on the meandering Conestoga River, bringing geese, heron, ducks and bird life to us in abundance. And Frogs, of course.

We have deer friends who are secure here after our eighteen years of residency.

One friend in particular is a deep brown color and we plant a tomato garden for her and her family every year.

She stands and looks at us in the early spring each year as if to say: Hey! Don't forget to plant my garden!!

Humans are not the most trustworthy species as far as deer are concerned.

The fifth aphorism of Pananjali states: "When a person is steadfast in his abstention from harming others, then all living creatures will cease to feel enmity in his presence."

The deer, racoons, geese, frogs and heron all use our property as a refuge.

They know they are safe and we marvel in their company.

Hanging out with these creatures of God-ess reminds me of Saint Francis and what I call the Saint Francis effect.

My dogs are the recipient of great love in what they teach us in this life time: unconditional love, forgiveness, and great patience in the face of human foible.

The greatest book ever written about Saint Francis is called: "God's Pauper: St. Francis of Assisi" by Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek.

The book was out of print for many years but then was re-published in paperback in 1999. I got a copy as soon as I heard about it, circa 2002.

Reading the book transports consciousness to a mystical perspective.

The prologue of the book serves as an example:

"If I have omitted many of Francis's sayings and deeds and if I have altered others, and added still others which did not take place but which might have taken place, I have done so not out of ignorance or impudence or irreverence, but from a need to match the Saint's life with his myth, bringing that life as fully into accord with its essence as possible.

"Art has its right, and not only the right but the duty to subject everything else to its essence. It feeds upon the story, then assimilates it slowly, cunningly, and turns it into legend.

"While writing this legend which is truer than truth itself, I was overwhelmed by love, reverence and admiration for Francis, the hero and great martyr. Often large tears smudged the manuscript; often a hand hovered before me in the air, a hand with an eternally-renewed wound: someone seemed to have driven a nail through it, seemed to be driving a nail through it for all eternity.

"Everywhere about me, as I write, I sensed the Saint's invisible presence; because for me, Saint Francis is the model of the dutiful man, the man who by means of ceaseless, supremely cruel struggle, succeeds in fulfilling our highest obligation, something higher even than morality or truth or beauty: the obligation to transubstantiate the matter which God entrusted to us and turn it into spirit." Nikos Kazantzakis

Do we all have this same obligation? to transubstantiate the matter which God entrusts to us and turn it into spirit?

Only Nikos Kazantzakis could or would ask that question and have us wonder if we, too, can rise to this test of human potential?

Communing with the animals of Mother Nature these last eighteen years continues to be a spiritual practice: of being riveted in present moment reality, of experiencing compassion and love for all creatures great and small, and in these spaces of infinite awareness, we perceive the fragile preciousness of this world and beyond.

The Saint Francis statue which beautifies the flower garden is also a reminder of this fragile balance.

The Bullfrog in her new home typifies many more hours of grace as we care for her. The dogs know she is here to stay, probably knew this long before I did.

The Saint Francis effect is now clear. All of these years of animal communication and sharing the land and our home, and reading Nikos Kazantzakis's words today, has simplified this.

As we look to the Saints and in this case, Saint Francis for guidance, we are automatically transforming matter into spirit.

God-ess has entrusted this beautiful planet to us, our families, homes, our very lives; may we care and love and transform all of it and ask the infinite realms, which surround us at all times, to help us remember their guiding presence and to learn to access it the moment we ask.

Parental Love

2010-09-16T09:20:00.000+05:00

Parental love comes in many shapes and it goes to different lengths for each parent. Parental love has different boundaries – ones that nurture and ones that destruct or paralyze. For most parents; they consciously or unconsciously practise both boundaries. The one we as parents need to be more conscious and cautious of is the latter practice when our love for our children is not nurturing their being but paralyzing.
Are you smothering your child or preventing their natural potential to surface and grow?
Are you enforcing an "illusion" that distraughts their beliefs of life?
Where do we draw the line?
When does our love become paralyzing and when does our love become nurturing?
It's a fine gray line for many parents
to walk on.
Quite often you hear parents say they are doing a certain "action" because they love their children – be it good or bad "action". And how much is too much?
When your child "suffocates"; that would probably be one sign we as parents are stepping into the paralyzing zones. Does "suffocating" your child ever work? I don't think so unless you want their being to die slowly within where they no longer know who they are or what is anymore without scrutinizing everything.
Parents who stay together in an unloving relationship because oftheir children…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children of WHAT IS?
Parents who smother their children and being over protective…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children of their capabilities to TRUST?
Parents who are overly strict with their children…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children's GROWTH and POTENTIAL?
Parents who abuse their children…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children with an illusion of WHAT LOVE IS?
Parents who nag their children endlessly…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children's PATIENCE from being SUPPORTIVE and EMPATHETIC?
Parents who don't give a damn about other people…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children from RESPECTING OTHERS?
Parents who have no sense of self worth and love…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children from SELF WORTHINESS and LOVE?
Parents who live in fear with everything they do…
Are they really NURTURING or paralyzing their children from TRYING THEIR BEST and BEING BRAVE in LIFE?
The list goes on and on. Too much or too little of everything has its consequences – nurturing or damaging.
We are not perfect parents but perfect to the best of our abilities. Sometimes what we think as "being loving" may not always be translated as that by our children. Sometimes we may think "we've done our best"; yet our children do not see as that. Sometimes we think it's in their "best interest" – IS IT? We shouldn't confuse ourselves with "WHAT REALLY IS" and "WHAT I THINK MIGHT or COULD BE" when it comes to our children and "their best interest."
What kind of parents are you?
The nurturing or paralyzing?
Note: This article may not be re-published without prior permission from the author. You may share it through a link to this original article.

What Good Parenting Entails

2010-09-16T09:18:00.001+05:00

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other, wings.” - Hodding Carter

All parents want their children to develop into well adjusted adults, respected as much for the integrity of their character as for their professional skills. This doesn't just happen overnight. It takes years of patient guidance, consistent discipline and above all, an abundance of love that is tangible to the child even during the worst periods in their growing up - and believe me, there will be many of those, before you can sit back and say with relief, "My work is done".

Many people equate an abundance of love with spoiling their child. I think that perhaps they have not understood what the term LOVE means, especially as it relates to a child. Let us start with what it is not:

1) Love is not over-indulging your child, giving in to every whim of his/hers because you feel guilty, tired, afraid you would lose your temper or scared that your kid may not love you.

2) Love is not harshly disciplining your children for every little broken rule in the mistaken belief that you are doing it for their good and if you don't punish them often and hard, a life of turmoil and misery beckons.

3) Love is not protecting your kids from the natural heart aches that come with growing up - whether it is a friend's betrayal, loss of a pet or loved one, not getting something deeply longed for.

4) Love is not using emotional blackmail at any time or for any reason in order to control them and get them to do what you want them to do.

Love that is most beneficial to children is one that focuses on them and accepts them for the unique individuals that they are. To be a truly loving parent, we need to learn to be a bit dispassionate about our kids. Even the most well meaning of parents tend to forget this. Unbiased love for your children helps you to focus on the child, rather than the fact that he/she belongs to you. You then learn to accept the possibilities and limitations of each of your children and to marvel at their individual potential. If there are no pre-conceived expectations, there is less pressure on the child and there are no feelings of disappointment in the parent. When children sense that they are not being measured against their siblings or friends, their confidence grows, there are less disciplinary issues and above all, they feel valued for themselves. Learning to love our kids this way is one of the hardest lessons in parenting; it being so natural to think in terms of "My Children" with the emphasis on "My" rather than on "Children".

Good parenting is a skill honed through trial and error. Most parents are so concerned about being good parents that they tend to over compensate for their perceived inadequacies. They tend to overlook the fact that most kids prefer laughter, a home filled with warmth and understanding and parents whom they can trust and turn to in times of trouble rather than being inundated with designer clothes, shoes and toys. How often do we hear the complaint that kids now-a-days are too obsessed with material things. Perhaps it is time we, as parents, ask ourselves how much we have contributed to our children's obsessions. A lot of people seem to have lost faith in their ability to be good parents, mistakenly thinking that they should always be infallible. What we must never lose sight of is that for the most part, we do get it right and that our love for our children will guide our parental instincts. Problems arise only when we do not learn from our mistakes. Children seem to have an infinite capacity to forgive their parents if they know or feel that their mothers and/or fathers are trying to do their very best for them.

Parents are only human - a fact that is often ignored by our kids and even more so, by ourselves. It is alright to get angry or depressed, irritated or to just want some time to yourself. What is not alright is to let these feelings affect your behaviour towards your children. How you handle your emotions is a good indicator of how your kids will manage theirs when they grow up. Rather than pretend that everything is fine, it would be better if you explained to your kids that you are upset about something and that you need sometime to work through the problem. Not only will the children be relieved that they are not the reason for your turmoil, they will probably try hard not to upset you further. Explaining the rationale for your actions to your children in terms they can understand teaches them empathy, alleviates their concerns that they are the cause of your distress and shows them how negative emotions should be handled.

Most parents have a hard time trying to decide whether or not they should shield their young children from the harsh facts of life. War, famine, death - these are constantly in the news. Closer to home it might be the prolonged illness or death of a close relative, friend, or even a pet, the break up of a close friendship, divorce, losing a job or home. There is no guarantee that life will always be smooth sailing and the sooner children are taught to face such situations with equanimity, the more resilient they will be when, as adults, they have their own misfortunes to face.

Parenting can be stressful, it is often under valued and unglamorous yet it can be and very often is uplifting and provides some of our most precious memories. If we remember to relax and enjoy our kids, love them for who they are, try to inculcate a strong personal value system from a very early age, revel in their accomplishments and be a constant source of support for them, we can be sure of doing a pretty good job. There is, of course, the added bonus of our own self improvement as we try to be more like the person we want our children to emulate.

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