Secretly Shed those Extra Thanksgiving Calories at Home!

No, I’m not going to harp about the hottest new detox, the best love handle workout, or the latest diet trend- you get enough of that hogwash waiting to check out at the grocery store. Instead, I’d like to remind you how versatile and personal your home truly is and truly can be! As a self-proclaimed fitness aficionado, I can attest to how beneficial a designated exercise area is in a home. Though having an entire room dedicated to sculpting your guns or buns is ideal, it’s not always realistic if you consider your home to be ‘spatially challenged.’ However, here are some simple ways you can integrate a workout space into your home. That way, you don’t have to go to the gym or run around the neighborhood more than usual as penance for your holiday overindulgence: just shed those Thanksgiving calories secretly in the comfort of your own home! Enjoy!

 Though we may not all have the luxury of dedicating an entire room to exercise, this modern workout space has a few of the key elements to an exercise area. Three machines and light shelving provide for your equipment needs, while the bright walls and windows provide for ample lighting sure to get you pumped up or calmed down for any workout!

 Exercise got you up against a wall? Install a rock climbing wall in your home! Perhaps the outdoor adventure is the best part of climbing, but this way you can get the practice in your home. The space is already provided; just a bit of assembly and this fun, unique exercise will be in the comfort of your own home.

Sometimes all you need is a mat and a little floor space. For all you yogis, practicing in a clean, open feeling space is essential to a positive yoga practice. Storage is simple and doesn't disrupt the flow in your home.

A Modern Thanksgiving

What are you most thankful for? If you’re not a complete Scrooge, you graciously ponder this question no matter how many times you’ve been asked in a day. Many of us answer this question around the Thanksgiving table and express gratitude for our families, friends, and of course, the massive feast soon to commence. But how often do we really appreciate and express thankfulness for our home? True, in this day in age, shelter is nearly a given; a basic necessity. However, our homes do much more than just shelter us: they comfort us, unite us, inspire us, and give us space to express ourselves. This Thanksgiving season let’s give our homes some credit by showing how much they do for us! Whether you’re providing food for your army of an extended family or just intimately dining with a few loved ones, you can provide the perfect setting to create an ambiance abundant in love, peace, warmth, and all the joyous sentiments brought by this season of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

 Fall leaves, a beautiful site to see outside why not bring them inside! Glass vases are simple and can be used for other occasions. Give you a pop of color and brings the outside in!

 Such a great idea! Take real pumpkins and tape off certain areas and paint them. A modern twist on decorating for Thanksgiving!

 Modern version of a Thanksgiving Cornucopia Horn.  Instead use square vases and fill will grapes and other items that typically are in a horn. Gives you warm Thanksgiving feeling without being too over the top!

 Candles set the mood for any great occasion, so why not here with your closest family and friends. Add handmade menus to each place-setting for a more formal, restaurant like table.

Hurricanes wrapped in different color craft paper. This is a great mantle decoration or a table-scape. Just make sure the paper is not too close to the candle. Or better yet, use flame-less candles then you don't have to worry!

Please, not the turtle figurine.

You know, the one you saw for just two dollars in that cute little market in Key West or Belize or New Zealand? Don’t get me wrong, I love turtles as much as the next human, but if you’re of the traveling breed of human, something’s got to give. Maybe you’re an international businessman, a bohemian traveler, a world-wide partier, a global missionary, or just a tourist. No matter your reason to travel, you always have the same reason to come home:  simply, it’s your home! So, bring your travels home with you- just not in little nick-knacks. Please, no more turtle figurines, stuffed bears in sweaters, or key-chain license plates. Display your travels throughout your home in a meaningful way that truly represents the beauty of your journey or destination. Here are some souvenir suggestions for your next trip and ways you can integrate them into your home. Enjoy!

 Are you a fan of travel? Countless countries around the globe have their own version of this convenient commodity: the fan. Luckily, fans make beautiful art pieces that you can hang on a wall or display on a shelf (since they probably won’t get much use in your air conditioned home!). Fans come in various sizes and styles from various countries, but this one in particular is an Oriental-styled fan in a living room.

 A country represents its individuality in its artwork, so why not bring some home? And no, I don’t mean display a printed copy of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in your living room. Consider folk or indigenous art that is unique to your destination, such as this living space adorned with Aboriginal Australian art.

 Combine your world-wide adventures with the comforts of your own home! Using linens from around the world to decorate your space brings a cultured aspect to the coziness of your home. Embroidered pillow covers, drapes, woven blankets, or rugs provide an easy way to incorporate your travels into your interior. This bedroom has Indian cushion covers as well as a blanket that allows you to reminisce (or dream!) about a voyage to a distant land.

 One never travels without taking photos; that is a given. Keep the memories of the places you went and the sights that you saw by displaying photographs creatively in your home.

Mural Mural on the Wall...

Got an empty wall in your home? Looks like you got yourself a canvas! Express yourself in a way that wallpaper, solid paint, or artwork simply cannot. Murals offer a bland room a brilliant backdrop that is so grand, so magnificent that anything smaller would be unjust.  Though the sheer immensity of a mural may seem intimidating, you need not worry: a mural balances the space and color in the room while uniting all furniture and other accessories in a common theme. A mural is great for nearly any room: a living room, an office, or even a nursery! Mural mural on the wall, what’s the greatest one of all? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Here are some incredible in-home murals that are sure to spark your creativity. Enjoy!

 A mural doesn't have to cover the entire wall from corner to corner. However, this elegant tree's branches even extend onto the ceiling!

 Missing your favorite city? Bring a little 'back home' into your home with this awesome city scene.

 Wall to wall color! This marbled mural is beautiful. All the color you need just on one wall!

 This up-close blade of grass scene offsets the 'office-look' by bringing the outside in... in microscopic detail!

This nursery mural covers the top-half of every wall so as not to be overwhelming. Perfect for baby Mario and Luigi!