Ideal-Living Magazine Ideal Living explores where to live and how to live happy and healthy

Green walls (also known as biowalls, vertical gardens or vertical vegetated complex walls) are wall structures partly composed of or filled in with growing plant matter. More than just easy on the eyes, green walls work like green roofs by filtering air and water, soaking up carbon dioxide and helping lessen the “heat island” effect of urban areas while reducing ... Read More »

The kids are raised and on their own, you’ve made the decision to retire and the big home you’ve owned for years no longer suits your new lifestyle. What’s the best way to sell it so you can ride off happily into the sunset? Consider staging. “There’s a big difference between decorating and staging,” Suzanne Tennant, owner of Personal Style ... Read More »

Building your own home is a life-long dream for many, so why not ensure that you can spend the rest of your life in the home you’ve created? Incorporating universal design principles in custom construction allows you to age in place and appreciate the fruits of your efforts. There’s no need to compromise aesthetics—some of the top universal design principles ... Read More »

Today’s new technology and universal design practices enable boomers to ‘age in place,’ so they can stay in the comfort of their own homes throughout their lives. This eliminates the need for expensive and stressful moves or remodels later in life due to an all-ages, all-abilities approach. Andie Day, an award-winning interior designer and certified aging in place specialist, is ... Read More »

1. Clean Curves for Contemporary Tastes MTI announces the addition of a strikingly modern freestanding tub to its Boutique Collection of design-savvy products for the bathroom. The Adrian exudes sophistication with lines, dramatic curves and bold simplicity. The Adrian has commanding convex ends, and inside, the vessel has backrests that are gently contoured to be supportive, comfortable and relaxing. The ... Read More »

If the Horizon has a striking similarity to the all new iMac®, it’s not by accident. As the designer who brought sleek sensibility to Apple®, Robert Brunner has infused this range hood with a similarly striking style. Horizon enters a low-profile freefall just inches from the kitchen wall, then challenges its audience with a sweeping, thirty degree upward lift. Compelling ... Read More »

Spring has sprung. The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and there’s a feeling in the air that makes us hopeful for the warmer weather and summer months to come. What better way to bring that sense of warmth and reawakening into your everyday life than to incorporate spring colors in your home. While pastel pinks, blues, yellows and ... Read More »

Outdoor living just got a lot more comfortable. Comprised of four stylish collections to suit a wide variety of outdoor living styles, the new Trex® Outdoor Furniture™ line combines livable design, sustainable materials and superior durability to provide the ultimate in worry-free relaxation in even the harshest outdoor environments. Durable and weather-resistant, Trex Outdoor Furniture won’t rot, splinter or crack, ... Read More »

As active adults consider a new custom home or remodeling their current home, savvy seniors are considering ‘aging in place’ and incorporating universal design elements into their bathrooms. They are finding it easy to enhance beauty in the bath while incorporating features they can ease into over the next 20 to 30 years. Here are a few areas in the ... Read More »

Completely customizable for any home décor, Kichler introduces the nature-inspired Crystal Bay ceiling fan. Featuring six eye-catching, leaf-shaped blade options and a simple body in one of four finishes, homeowners can combine their favorite styles into more than 24 configurations. UL listed for wet locations, the fan can be hung over an outdoor patio, within an outdoor gazebo or in ... Read More »

“It’s all about me.” Your home should be all about you. Universal design creates livable, workable environments for everyone regardless of age, size or ability. Universal design is human-centered design that makes life easier, not only for those with mobility limitations, but also for those who are short, tall, young and old. Universal design is for everyone. According to a ... Read More »

1. View Internet Videos on Your TV in Less than Five Minutes If you’re not sure how to connect your computer to your television so you can stream video, then Roku is for you. This internet-connected box connects to your television and comes pre-loaded with software that takes you to Netflix, Amazon On Demand, Hulu and more. Plus, Roku connects ... Read More »

You’ve cut out the pictures from the magazines, looked at countless home plans and maybe even purchased the homesite at the perfect community. But, what next? In this current economic environment, you might think it better to put off your dreams and buy an existing home. Yet now is the perfect time to build your dream home. Construction costs are ... Read More »

Green homes hit mainstream–Make sure you know what you’re buying Ten years ago, environmentally and energy conscious home buyers had a tough time finding ‘green’ homes. Even though models were out there, builders and real estate agents had no idea how to market them and sometimes didn’t even know their benefits versus a conventionally-built residence. Things have changed rapidly in ... Read More »

1. iPad Revolution Starting at just $499, iPad lets users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more. iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds-thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook-and delivers battery life of up to 10 hours. iPad’s ... Read More »