As the AstroTwins put it, water signs need the bedroom to be an "emotional charging station"—a comfortable, peaceful, and spiritual escape where you can feel all those feelings and recharge after a long day out in the world.

Cancer: You're the nurturer of the zodiac, but don't forget that you need to be nurtured every now and again too. Keeping this beautiful book of poetry and positive affirmations on your nightstand will help.

Scorpio: Scorpios are thought to have super powerful intuition. Tend to yours by meditating with a beautiful scent diffusing in the background.

Pisces: Music fuels everything you do, so it might be worth it to treat yourself to a sound system that will lull you into sweet dreams.

Next up: We've got the perfect houseplant for your zodiac sign.

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McKelvey Homes' Final days of Summer Savings Spectacular  STLtoday.com Full coverage

https://www.stltoday.com/homes/home-builder/mckelvey-homes-final-days-of-summer-savings-spectacular/article_5886a952-91c7-11e8-b2b3-8b1a42899de4.html

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8308 Ivanhoe Pl, Sturtevant, Wisconsin 53177  Kenosha News Full coverage

http://www.kenoshanews.com/realestate/housing/sale/home/ivanhoe-pl-sturtevant-wisconsin/realestate_bca87ab8-24ab-52db-bc45-45f0fa1807b2.html

Architectural Digest is “a vibrant monthly celebration of international design talents, innovative homes and products, inspiring decorating ideas, culture, and travel.”

The magazine was launched in 1920 and compiled a list of the prettiest towns among the U.S. states. A brief description of each town was included with the list.

“While it may be a continent away from its Dutch sibling, tulips still bloom in this town (Holland) along Lake Michigan, the downtown is thriving, and its iconic red lighthouse is practically a town symbol,” according to Architectural Digest.

This was at least the third time Holland was recognized nationally in one form or another in the past few months. In April, Holland was named the best small city in the U.S. to start a business in, according to WalletHub. In June, WalletHub named Holland a top 10 lake beach town in the U.S.

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When it comes to teenage girls’ bedrooms, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. If Mean Girls taught us anything, it’s that teen cliques/ groups/ squads have their own distinct style. And yes, this applies to your teenage girl’s bedroom design ideas as well as her wardrobe choices. If you have more than one teenage girl living at home, then chances are their ideas about decorating are quite different – while one wants brightly coloured walls, patterned accessories or vintage/ shabby-chic florals, the other will hone in on dark wall paint, edgy prints and pieces of rough-luxe design. So, if you’re wondering how to make the transition between princess-style little girls rooms and bedrooms for contrary teens, we figured that you might want a little decorating inspiration.

Related: Small children’s room ideas – to create a space your child will love

1. Encourage optimism with bright florals

Energetic, fun and girly (without being too sugary), this teenage girls’ bedroom is packed with saturated colour, destined to make your teen smile (even if they won’t show you that). This space has a a grown-up feel, but isn’t too serious, courtesy of certain decorative flourishes that add a whimsical finish – we’re looking at the curlicues on that chair and the light-hearted prints on the wall. The end-of-bed storage bench is ideal for hiding clutter, too.

Get the look
Buy now Wrought Iron Chair, £62.99, Maisons du Monde
Buy now Orla Kiely Bed Linen, from £65, Amara

2. Curate a cool bedroom art display

If you’ve spent time and money carefully creating two-tone paint effects like this, and refurnishing a kids bedroom, you’re probably not going to be that keen for your teen daughter to pin posters directly on the wall… not that we’re being design control freaks or anything. Try fixing picture ledges at staggered heights on the wall above the bed and layering up framed prints and photos of your teen’s choice for a personal and art display. The images – and therefore the space – can be updated as frequently as she wants.

Get the look
Buy now Teramo Bed, £745, Feather & Black
Buy now Picture Ledges, from £4.50, Ikea

3. Create teen design with depth

Dark and moody decor can be achieved without turning a teen bedroom into a bat cave; paint the walls a smart dark grey, and layer up lighter shades of grey and white, using different patterns to add interest, and a throw in a pop of one other colour for a little youthful energy. A hand-lettered print on the wall (in this case a parental reminder, maybe!) along with other ice-white accents, freshens the finish without taking away from the overall impact.

Get the look
Buy now Angelica Bed, from £690, Sofa.com
Buy now Farrow & Ball Down Pipe No.26 Matt Emulsion paint, £43.50 for 2.5L, B&Q

4. Reach for retro, with this Seventies-style space

A retro Seventies-style wallpaper makes a striking statement in this bedroom. Pick out tones from the wallpaper and choose block-coloured furniture and accessories in those colours – keeping these large pieces simple helps to break up the pattern and avoid a fussy finish. A white-framed mirror and black-and-white fashion print from the same era adds a classic touch.

Get the look
Buy now Eijffinger Retro Floral Teal Wallpaper, £65 a roll, Wallpaper Direct
Buy now Ornate Jewellery Cabinet Mirror, £74.99, The Range

Looking for more teen bedroom inspiration? READ: Teenage boys bedroom ideas for sleep, study and socialising

5. Give a loft room a Scandi spin

Not all teens are blessed with the biggest of bedrooms, and it’s not always simple switching up from a children’s room to a more adult space. This attic bedroom does a great job of crossing that divide, with a cool Scandi style that makes the most of the available space with a raised built-in cabin bed, with storage below and in the alcove beyond… leaving the rest of the room free for your teen’s wardrobe (ideally not scattered across the newly-freed-up floor). The wood cladding keeps the bedroom calm and enhances the sense of space – essential in a teen girl’s room – while colourful bed linen can be used to add personality and flair.

Get the look
Buy now Elise Bed Runner, £177, Amara
Buy now LED Wall picture light, £24.99, Wayfair

6. Bring a bit of boho style to a teen bedroom

Give the structured canopy bed a bohemian update with a more relaxed approach that’s ideal for a teen girls bedroom. White walls and dark wooden furniture offer a neutral base for ethnic-print blinds, bed linen and a makeshift canopy draped over two ceiling-hung poles. A fresh blue or forget-me-not hued base draws together the varied prints, while a spearmint green reading lamp beside the bed freshens the relaxed, deconstructed look.

Get the look
Buy now Canton Bed, £995, Lombok
Buy now Anglepoise Desk Lamp, £175, Amazon

7. Fashion a space for homework

While homework is never deemed fun, fashion-loving teens might like this high-contrast bedroom, with its chic workspace. A slender console functions as a workspace for design or computer work, as well as a surface to display special trinkets. Floating shelves are painted the same colour as the walls, so they seem to recede and create a spacious feel, which works perfectly with the bold graphic-print rug and shots of hot pink.

Get the look
Buy now Abigail Ahern Grey Hare Table Lamp, £95, Debenhmas
Buy now Vitra Eames DAW Armchair, £429, John Lewis

8. Dream up a whimsical scheme

A little bit Midsummer Night’s Dream, a little bit folksy, this nature-inspired bedroom comes out quite high on the girly decorating scale, even with it’s blue-hued colour palette. A scattering of cushions embroidered with birds and butterflies brings a touch of whimsy, while a sheer lavender canopy draped over the bed keeps the look light and airy. Accessories in natural materials, such as the woven lampshade, cut through the blue to keep the space from becoming overwhelmingly dreamy!

Get the look
Buy now Boja Bamboo Pendant, £52, Ikea
Buy now Sheridan Korra Bedding set, from £89, House of Fraser

9. Make it monochrome

One for the colour-shy teenage girls out there – some girls just know from the get-go that monochrome is the epitome of chic style. Apart from the lack of colour, there is nothing retiring about this bedroom though, which mixes pattern like nobody’s business to amazing effect. We are particular fans of that striped drawer unit – ideal for storing a growing wardrobe and make-up collection!

Get the look
Buy Now: Ingrid Wallpaper, £51 a roll, Thibaut at Wallpaper Direct

10. Do your homework on bedroom design

Just because a bedroom study space is essential for school or college homework, doesn’t mean it has to be boring. This bedroom corner has been transformed into a space you want to hang out in – it’s worthy of a lifestyle blogger, we think! Floating shelves house stacked framed prints and photos, as well as pastel accessories that look pretty while also functioning as organisational desk essentials. A marble-effect light and fur throw add a touch of luxury, to the slender desk that handily doubles as a dressing area.

Get the look
Buy now Blush Wooden Desk, £224, Maisons du Monde
Buy now Eiffel Chair, £59, Dwell

11. Mix and match colourful craft styles

Pom-poms, polka dots, bunting and crochet might sound like a little too much to have all in one space, but treated right and these fun prints, patterns and textures can create a bright and brilliant bedroom for a teenage girl. Balance warm orange and yellow tones with pale blues and expanses of white, if you don’t want it to feel overwhelming. However, it’s an ideal space to let your teen play with design options.

12. Be a styling hot shot

Hot, tropical colours will make for an energetic bedroom – it might help the girl who lives in it get out of bed faster in the morning, but then again… Hot pinks and deep oranges blend beautifully, while citrus yellow accents, such as the bed frame, and crisp white bed linen cut through the red-based hues to add a fresh hit to the overall look.

Get the look
Buy Now: Jonah Bed in Dandelion Yellow, £649, Made

13. Get organised…with added colour

Bring a little organisation to that growing shoe and accessories collection, before it migrates out of the wardrobe, and store them all on a colourful ladder shelving unit (you might need to paint a plain wooden frame). Modern and practical – this one’s a no-brainer.

Get the look
Buy now: Oak Fenton Wide Open Shelving Unit, £240, Debenhams

14. Opt for light and airy designs

A clean white or neutral base is ideal for teenage bedrooms, as it offers the opportunity to chop and change the look as quickly as teenage tastes and styles do! Opt for classic white furniture with a slender profile, as this will help reduce the sense of clutter. However, this sunny, pretty space is really all about the accessories; a bold bloom bedspread, hot pink accents, soft pastel lamps and prints and a tactile sheepskin throw on the chair ensure this space is modern and still playful.

Get the look
Buy now Vitra Eames Armchair, £429, John Lewis
Buy now Hemnes Bedside Table, £40, Ikea

15. Bring street art style inside

Not all girls want pretty pretty bedrooms – in fact, plenty of teenage girls want their bedrooms to reflect their more grungy and edgy personal style and, to be clear, this doesn’t mean pink walls and floral bedding. But rough-around the edges can be stylish, too, as this industrial decorating scheme, that draws on street art and rough-luxe finishes shows. Build on some graffiti-style wallpaper with a metal bedframe, wire lockers for storage, a factory-style light and denim-finish bed linen, and you’ve got an urban teen girls bedroom with a warehouse vibe. Easy.

Get the look
Buy now Beatnik Bed, £945, Loaf
Buy now Graffiti Wallpaper, from £26m, Photowall

Do you like these teenage girls bedroom ideas? Which one is your favourite design?

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Whether it's shopping for summer decor, styling our outdoor patios, or dreaming of future color palettes, we are constantly looking for ways to make our (tiny) spaces look their best. And a scroll through these amazing interiors found on Instagram's #SmallSpacesSquad proves that square footage is nothing but a number. It's not just a hashtag here, it's a way of life. Check out all the tips below.

1. Create Statement Storage:

Turn your library into a work of art by color-coding your books and putting them on (vertical) display.

2. Opt for Tables That Multitask:

Get the most out of your tables by picking ones that you can combine into one larger surface or break apart depending on your needs.

3. Layer, Layer, Layer:

Pattern and texture mixing is always a winning strategy. Explore ways to make it work in a tiny bedroom by using varying options on both the wall and the bed.

4. Create Storage, Not Clutter:

If your kitchen doesn't have a lot of cabinets, a portable island adds more counter AND storage space. Keep it organized and banish mess with baskets.

5. Start From the Top:

Floor-to-ceiling drapes draw the eyes up; a statement ceiling keeps them focused there.

6. Pay Attention to Every Nook:

Maximize those small patches of wall with tiny photo frames or planters to keep your house looking cozy, not busy.

7. Balance It Out:

Bedroom symmetry is not only great Feng Shui, but the setup lends the appearance of more space. (via Max Maloney)

8. Spread the Light Around:

No matter how small the area, don't rely on just one overhead light to get the job done. Instead, follow Design Market's lead and go with multiple light sources to really open it up.

9. Statement Shelves:

No room for an indoor garden? Use the wall facing a window (and some seriously stunning shelves) to stow your plants instead.

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Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

• There is a lot that can be done with a small space.
• Maximize the space you do have by hanging things on the walls.
• Don't rely on just one overhead light to open up your space.

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Whether it's shopping for summer decor, styling our outdoor patios, or dreaming of future color palettes, we are constantly looking for ways to make our (tiny) spaces look their best. And a scroll through these amazing interiors found on Instagram's #SmallSpacesSquad proves that square footage is nothing but a number. It's not just a hashtag here, it's a way of life. Check out all the tips below.

1. Create Statement Storage:

Turn your library into a work of art by color-coding your books and putting them on (vertical) display.

2. Opt for Tables That Multitask:

Get the most out of your tables by picking ones that you can combine into one larger surface or break apart depending on your needs.

3. Layer, Layer, Layer:

Pattern and texture mixing is always a winning strategy. Explore ways to make it work in a tiny bedroom by using varying options on both the wall and the bed.

4. Create Storage, Not Clutter:

If your kitchen doesn't have a lot of cabinets, a portable island adds more counter AND storage space. Keep it organized and banish mess with baskets.

5. Start From the Top:

Floor-to-ceiling drapes draw the eyes up; a statement ceiling keeps them focused there.

6. Pay Attention to Every Nook:

Maximize those small patches of wall with tiny photo frames or planters to keep your house looking cozy, not busy.

7. Balance It Out:

Bedroom symmetry is not only great Feng Shui, but the setup lends the appearance of more space. (via Max Maloney)

8. Spread the Light Around:

No matter how small the area, don't rely on just one overhead light to get the job done. Instead, follow Design Market's lead and go with multiple light sources to really open it up.

9. Statement Shelves:

No room for an indoor garden? Use the wall facing a window (and some seriously stunning shelves) to stow your plants instead.

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Small bedroom transformation ideas

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1. Colour palette

Go for a timeless, classic colour palette. Here, a range of vibrant blues and white set the tone for layers of coastal styling.

Flanked by the restaurant and bar, check out the sumptuous sitting space abundant in coastal styling. Solid, striped or intricately patterned, deep navy blue makes an appearance throughout the interior scheme.

2. Stick With The Original 

The original architectural lines from a former life as a 1960s surfie motel take a starring role. PS, arches are back – big time!

3. Breeze Blocks

The hotel’s entryway is lined with white-painted breeze blocks. You can pinch this design idea to bring a touch of retro Palm Springs splendour to your outdoor landscape.

4. Gallery Wall

If you’re considering a gallery wall, stick to a theme (say, ‘by the sea’). Choose interesting frames that are different sizes, colours and shapes, then decide on your balanced layout before hanging the display.

Not only will the hotel’s restaurant, Paper Daisy, dazzle your taste buds – you’ll be inspired to head home and hang wall loads of eclectic artworks, too.

6. Texture

Think outside the box when choosing finishes. Here, the bedroom walls are padded and lined with patterned fabric instead of traditional wallpaper.

For a bedroom that’s equal parts vibrant and also utterly relaxing, partner patterned wall and bedhead treatments with fresh white linen, window shutters and trims. PS, note how you only need two feature cushions – here, matching the bedhead fabric – to create a heavenly hotel-style bed set.

7. Boho Bathroom

The design love continues to be shared in this bathroom, through striking blue-and-white floor tiles. What makes this space so splendid? The wall tiles are kept all-white, allowing the high-energy floor plan to do its thing. Metallic and timber elements add warmth.

8. On The Wall

If you’re drawn to coastal decorating, why not drench a wall in ocean-inspired blue paint, fabric or wallpaper? It’s the most gorgeous backdrop for a sea-themed vignette.

9. Be Brave!

Who says you can’t hang fabulous artwork and mirrors on patterned walls? Or layer pattern on pattern? If it looks fab and you love it – do it! All 21 rooms at Halcyon House experiment with pattern and colour, and show you how upcycled vintage furniture sings in an updated setting. Aim for balance by offsetting your base colour palette with curious collections and earthy, natural materials. Try cane, rattan and character-filled antique items to enrich interior spaces.

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Bring some sunshine into your home with an injection of these tropical decorating ideas. Both relaxing and uplifting, tropical decor is a big interior design trend for the new season and will add bags of personality to your rooms. Think of Mediterranean summers, a Hawaiian landscape – and a big dose of kitsch.

With a tropical theme, you really need to think outside the box: This is floral design, but not as you know it. Clashing colours, a mix of prints and sleek modern textures will all add up to a totally tropical room.

Want more ideas? READ: Inject personality into any space by decorating with pattern

1. Be as daring as you like

Tropical decorating is all about the wow factor. These yellowy shades naturally freshen and energise a space, while keeping the vibe cool and calm. They work brilliantly in rooms that overlook outdoor spaces, blurring the lines between inside and outdoors. Use darker, blue greens and pure yellows to create a subtle, layered scheme, or go as vibrant as you dare with splashes of pink.

2. Create a serene scene

Mid-weight greens are great for setting a calm and creative scene. Balance out the bright colour with warm greys and natural wood. Try painting a neutral band around this room to break up colour. This is a clever trick if all-over colour is too much for you.

3. Turn your urban garden into a party hot-spot

Give your garden a hot pop of Miami colour. This slice of urban garden is cleverly designed in receding sections of decking, seating, hedge, lawn and raised bed, which create the illusion of depth as they fade into the distance. Intricate planting makes the best possible use of the small and unusual space. The white concrete retaining wall has been customised into a vibrant tropical bench and the colourful flamboyant flamingo ornaments have made the sunny corner their home.

Get the look
Buy now: Pink Flamingo, £35, Bonnie and Bell at Not On The High Street

4. Factor in a natural contrast

Reclaimed or limed oak furniture looks relaxed and rustic with palm greens. For a smarter, more polished look, go for black-stained wood finished instead. Finish the tropical look with pretty accessories that can be easily changed as often as your like.

5. Mix exuberant leafy prints with modern furniture

Work in a taste of the tropics with an abundance of palm and fern prints, set against a charcoal backdrop. Mid-century style furniture gives this space a retro vibe. Mix and match design classics, such as these Eames ‘Eiffel’ chairs, for an informal contemporary look. Choose colours that stand out in the bold scheme.

Get the look
Buy now: Eiffel dining chair, Dwell

6. Go totally tropical and mark out a chill-out zone

Re-create that relaxed holiday feeling with an indoor green haven, using colourful printed cushions and walls that evoke azure skies and crystal blue waters. This modern ethnic bedroom corner – in a plethora of tropical tones – has the added playful addition of a hammock. The two-tone wall effect waves from pale green to vibrant blue and complements the choice of chest, rug and choice of foliage to create an inescapable island vibe that will keep every moment of bedroom relaxation completely and utterly chilled out.

Get the look
Buy now: Paint, The Lido and Reading Room Claypaints, Earthborn

Love the colour green? READ: How to decorate with green, the most peaceful of colours

7. Transport yourself to warm Hawaiian shores

For those looking to indulge a love of colour and pattern, this whimsical palm design with its deep sunset pinks and fresh greens serves as an exuberant focal point. Plain bedlinen keeps the look balanced, while a shell pendant hints at distant shores.

Get the look
Buy now: Wallpaper, Big Bam wallpaper in Hotty Pink, Lee Sofa at GP&J Baker

8. Channel the classic palm-court vibe

If you want a fresh and outdoor feeling inside your home, look to this modern tropical living room scheme as the ultimate inspiration. The two-toned wall paint effect creates a jagged landscape where the two colours meet. White woven furniture is typical of this look and the choice of upholstery fabric is spot on. Lush plants complete the tropical outdoors look.

Get the look
Buy now: Fabric (on cushion seat), Manila cotton – 223278, Sanderson
Buy now: Fabric (on back cushions), Palma fabric, Michael Szell for Christopher Farr Cloth

Learn how to create a feature wall. READ: Feature walls ideas that make a serious style statement

9. Play with tactile weaves and leafy patterns

A circular table partnered with pretty upholstered stools is a good choice for maintaining the streamlined feel of an open-plan living space, while the simple rattan lampshade will cast playful shadows for atmospheric dining.

Get the look
Buy now: Table, Phoenix round table, Tom Faulkner
Buy now: Wallpaper, Banana Leaves wallpaper, Mind the Gap at Rockett St George
Buy now: Lampshade, Shaped rattan lampshade, Design Vintage

10. Wake up with exotic patterns and vibrant colours

A burst of sunny, vibrant colours and exotic fruit prints is a refreshing look to wake up to. A traditional canopy over a bed can run from stark and serious to playful and funny and nowhere is it quirkier than in the form of this giant single leaf incarnation. A vibrant headboard print is an authentic injection of the tropical look, but the pale pastel green wall, solid bedding and calming safari-inspired touches are a brilliant balance to the potentially overwhelming print. Note, with a print this busy, it’s best to keep the furniture lines and background simple – we’re looking to create a relaxing vibe, not a total riot of colour and shapes.

Get the look
Buy now: Fabric (headboard), Jamaica cotton, Manuel Canovas

11. Give a traditional scheme a tropical twist

Who says you can’t mix contemporary trends with traditional furnishings? Create an exotic vibe with leaf motifs, natural textures and bold colours. Blend rich greens with natural materials for a totally tropical mix. Keep the mood hot and fiery with an abundance of pineapple and tropical bird-print accessories for a true taste of the Amazon rainforest.

Get the look
Buy now: Wallpaper, Fanned Fronds wallpaper, Anthropologie

12. Wow with vivid wallpaper

Dare to be bold with your hallway scheme. Hallways are designed to be passed through rather than hung around in, which means you can be braver with your colour and pattern choices than you can in any other room in the house. Here, a vibrant tropical wallpaper sits pretty alongside a bright, striped stair runner and eclectic colourful ornaments. Repeating the hot pink throughout the scheme holds everything together. The parrot wall sconces ‘perched’ in the wallpaper trellis are a witty finishing touch.

Get the look
Buy now: Wallpaper, Canopy wallpaper – Grenade, Christian Lacroix at Jane Clayton

Will you be taking the tropical trend into your home with these tropical decorating ideas?

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Shelter design can help people recover from homelessness  The Edwardsville Intelligencer Full coverage

https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Shelter-design-can-help-people-recover-from-13050682.php

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Jill Pable, Florida State University

(THE CONVERSATION) Some 544,000 people in the United States have no shelter every night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Homeless families make up over one-third of this total.

Beyond exposing them to weather, crime and unsanitary conditions, homelessness can also damage people’s self-esteem, making them feel helpless or hopeless. Being homeless is a traumatic experience, in part because of the stigma associated with this situation.

Recovering from homelessness may therefore involve not just finding a job and permanent home but also rebuilding one’s self-esteem.

My research on the built environment suggests that the interior design of homeless shelters can either support or hinder people’s ability to assert control over their future.

Research has long demonstrated that physical spaces affect human moods and behaviors.

Office environments with many common spaces foster collaboration, for example, while stock investors who work on higher floors take more risks.

Homeless shelters, too, can influence how residents see the world and themselves. A shelter with sterile corridor and glaring lights may silently send the message that, “People don’t think you deserve a nice place to live.”

Homeless housing designed with warm colors, thoughtful lighting and useful signage, on the other hand, can send the opposite message: “Someone cares.”

In my experience, most homeless shelters are designed simply to house as many people as possible. Others are so dilapidated, violent or dirty that people actually prefer to sleep outside.

I undertook a three-month field experiment at a shelter in Florida to understand how bedroom design could support or hinder two families trying to transition from homelessness into permanent housing.

Each family consisted of a single mother with two children. One family had two girls, ages 3 and 4. The other had two boys, ages 3 and 18.

Both parents had generally positive relationships with their children, had completed high school through the 10th grade and were living in the shelter because they had lost their jobs.

Initially, both families stayed in identical 9-by-12 bedrooms. Each had two metal bunk beds, one dresser, pale green walls, a single light fixture and a bathroom shared with a family of four. With so little storage, the families piled their belongings on the unused fourth bunk.

The bedroom door had no lock, so that staff could check in on residents as needed. This is common in shelters.

After two months, one family moved into a room that our team had upgraded with 18 new features intended to empower residents by offering them control over their environment.

These included drawer-and-bin storage for their possessions, lap desks, privacy curtains around the beds, bulletin boards and shelving. We also painted the walls a light blue.

I interviewed the mothers in the beginning and the end of their experience.

The mother who would later move into an upgraded room felt “aggravated and frustrated” in the first space. The mother who stayed in that room for all three months described it as “crowded,” “claustrophobic” and “grim.” She even said the metal beds and hard, cold floors reminded her of jail.

Both families piled their belongings on the unused fourth bunk for lack of other storage.

“The more time you spend in it, the more you feel like the walls are closing in,” she told me after four weeks, explaining that she often stayed out late to avoid coming home to this cramped situation.

So did her older son, who sometimes spent all night in the shelter’s computer lab. His mother worried about her son’s “vampire” hours.

This family seemed agitated throughout the three-month study. They sought relief from their housing situation – and from each other – elsewhere.

Things looked different for the other family.

The good lighting and wall cushions encouraged them to read together. They had guests more often. A case worker told me that the family would sometimes spend the entire day together in their shelter bedroom – something they’d never done in their previous space.

Though the two rooms were the same size, a divided dutch door and bed curtains allowed the residents in the altered room to create personal spaces for listening to music or reading.

They organized and put away their possessions in the storage provided, reducing clutter.

The children liked drawing on the marker boards, so the mother allowed them to use it as a reward for good behavior, exerting parental authority in a positive way.

Tellingly, the families also expressed themselves differently in the two rooms.
In the upgraded room with shelving, the family displayed photographs, art and beloved stuffed animals. The kids played dress up in front of the mirror. These are both territorial acts that define and confirm identities.

The family in the unaltered bedroom displayed little art, in part because the mother felt it was an imposition to ask shelter staff for tape to affix items to the wall.

When her 3-year-old boy tried to play cars on the floor, his mom told him it was too dirty. Bored, he would peel paint off the wall near his bed.

She reprimanded him for this behavior, causing arguments. The children also argued frequently with each other.

At the study’s end, I asked the mother living in the upgraded space how she would have felt if her family had stayed in the unaltered bedroom. Her answer reflected the role housing plays in keeping a family happy and healthy.

“I don’t know if I would say I would be depressed, but I would have had a different feeling,” she responded. “Sometimes you just want peace and quiet” – which the bed curtains and dutch door now offered her.

She also thought her kids might have eventually “cracked,” she said, because they couldn’t act as they would in “a regular home.”

“My older girl will pull the curtains and read books to her sister” now, the mother said. “She feels like she has something that belongs to her.”

The new bedroom, which could be adjusted to fit the family’s needs, empowered them to take ownership of it. I believe such actions may help combat underlying feelings of helplessness.

This small, only partially controlled study is not the final word in shelter design.

But it certainly suggests that shelter architecture can help families experiencing homelessness by giving them a calm, positive and supportive home base for planning their future.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/shelter-design-can-help-people-recover-from-homelessness-98374.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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The bedroom should be a sanctuary where we allow ourselves the luxury of a peaceful and supremely comfortable space to wind down in after a hectic day.

Choosing the right mattress and bed frame is key to getting a good night's sleep, but this room often has to incorporate our wardrobes, dressing tables and shoe storage, all without looking cluttered.

We asked our readers to send us images of imaginative and thoughtful living room makeover projects from their own homes, as part of entering our first ever London Home Design Awards in partnership with Houzz.

Much heated debate took place among our expert judges in the glamorous Lecture Room & Library at London's design hotspot Sketch in Mayfair, and we can now reveal the winning makeover project.

THE WINNING BEDROOM
Sponsored by Hästens, ethically sourced and hand-crafted beds specialist

Winner: Emilie Mauran, Fulham

What the judges said: “Loved the pinky plaster finish, it’s so flattering”; “Good clothes storage — no chucking on chairs”; “Well-planned lighting and power points.”

French-born Emilie Mauran, 38, was inspired by hotel bedrooms but wanted something more personal. “I was so happy when my husband François said ‘yes’ to pink”: Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir (farrow-ball.com), teamed with a grey carpet. 

Emilie’s five-week bedroom renovation came at the end of extensive alterations to the family home in Fulham. The mother of Arthur, 12, Alice, 10, Lucie, eight, and Juliette, four, knocked two first-floor bedrooms into one large bedroom en suite. Lucie and Juliette now share a room in the loft. 

Storage is built in throughout this super-tidy home, made in India by Emilie’s brother Vincent Roy (woodndesign.in).  Hanging space in cupboards is 60cm deep, with shallower joinery linked by an attractive shelf that the judges loved, 45cm deep, on either side of the bed.

There’s a statement La Volières aviary-inspired cage pendant lamp by Mathieu Challières (hollowaysofludlow.com), wall lights, reading lights by the bed, a chaise longue (camerich.co.uk) and a dressing table (made.com). A chest from West Elm has knobs to match cabinetry.

Emilie’s tips: “Allow 80cm of leg room around your bed. Have a nice ‘view’ from your bed. Choose calming colours: light pink, greens and blues. Colour-match joinery doors with walls.”

TOP TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS FOR PLANNING YOUR BEDROOM PROJECT​

Fitted wardrobes and window seats are two of the most searched terms related to bedrooms on Houzz, showing how built-in storage can help bedrooms become serene, well-ordered spaces.

And, as more of us holiday more frequently, we seek to add a little bit of luxury inspired by the new generation of boutique hotels, with walk-in wardrobe and master bedroom also popular searches. 

"We believe the bedroom is the most important room in the house," says Sanja Tegeltija of category sponsor Hästens.

"Done well, a bedroom can become a sanctuary – the one place we can go to reboot, the place that allows us the rest we need to attack tomorrow with vigour." 

WATCH OUR VIDEO: BEHIND THE SCENES ON JUDGING DAY

The London Home Design Awards at Sketch

WHO WE TEAMED UP WITH

Many thanks to the sponsors of the London Home Design Awards:

• Bang & Olufsen, renowned for their high-end audio, picture and multimedia products, sponsors the living room category
• Luxury bathroom designer Kohler sponsors the bathroom category
• Leading tile specialists Topps Tiles sponsors the kitchen category
• Hästens, known for their ethically sourced and handcrafted beds, sponsors the bedroom category

WITH THANKS TO OUR EXPERT PANEL OF JUDGES

The expert panel of judges included the editors of Homes & Property and Houzz, Janice Morley and Victoria Harrison; design journalist Barbara Chandler; Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design; and Richard MacRae of architecture design studio EDRM.

Guest judges included food writer and broadcaster Rachel Khoo; Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth; interior design duo Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio; the founder of Mr & Mrs Smith hotels Tamara Lohan; and founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer

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