If one’s home is a castle, the bathroom is surely the all-important throne room. As such, it is only appropriate that this space is outfitted with finery befitting a king! Luckily for modern gentry, the amenities available for one’s bathroom are markedly more posh than medieval. Consider adding a few of the gizmos below to your throne room to add a little royal treatment to your daily routine.
The warmth and tranquility of a soothing hot shower are qualities likely to put one’s mind at ease. With the chattering of the day’s activities locked securely outside the door, the bathroom provides a haven for the mind to wander at leisure. As such, you might have a great idea or two, too, while you’re relaxing. But what can you do with an idea you have in the shower?
Two words – waterproof notepad! AquaNotes has designed such a notepad, complete with suction cup backing to secure the pad to a shower wall. There’s even a pencil included with a suction cup holder to mount alongside the pad.
Liquid is the favored state of soap in the modern day, but the Kikkerland company has introduced a gadget for the bathroom that may just change the tide. The Suction Soap Holder Magnet is designed just for bar soaps. This handy gizmo consists of a suction cup, to be attached to a smooth surface, and an arm with a cap type fixture at the end that suspends the bar of soap. Say goodbye to gooey bar soap messes!
The company that brought the Roomba vacuum cleaner to the modern world, iRobot, is now tackling the toughest room in the house with their robot cleaning machines. The Scooba 230, which retails for just under $300, promises to eliminate 97 percent of common household bacteria on surfaces including linoleum and tile. The Scooba 230 does need to be filled with a special iRobot cleaning solution, but like its Roomba brother, the Scooba 230 is designed to scoot under cabinets and around toilets for the utmost in robot-delivered cleanliness.
Most renters will attest that storage space in an apartment or rental property is always a hot commodity, especially in homes shared by one or more people. For this reason, creative storage solutions are a must.
While plastic stacked bins are available at giant retailers across the nation, an overabundance of such contraptions creates an unappealing look. Before rushing out to the nearest Target or Wal-Mart to buy a collection of bins, consider trying a few of the decorating tips below to add extra storage and personality to your living space.
Desk blotters and other monstrously large calendars are fantastic for keeping dates straight at the office. A bulky item like that can be impractical for the home office, however, and can be an unwelcome reminder of work at home. For a more free-spirited scheduling system, pin up a string and hang seven clothespins, each featuring a day of the week, and hang your notes on corresponding days. The system is more visually appealing than a monotone calendar and you can add or interchange notes to your heart’s content.
Repurposing an everyday home item for another use can open up a world of decorating possibilities. A clean, out-of-use toothbrush holder can be great for holding pens on a desk, for example.
An antique breadbox can be converted into a charging station for electronic equipment. First, create a hole in the back of the breadbox. Hide a surge protector strip in the box, pulling out only enough cord for the prongs to reach the intended socket. Next, cut a piece of sturdy paper or cardboard to fit the interior of the box. Cut slits for cords for your various pieces of equipment and label each slit with the name of the tool (e.g. cell phone, Bluetooth, etc.) that will be charged. Pull only the connector through the labeled opening to leave the mess of tangled cords behind the paper and out of view.
Wicker baskets find their way into everyone’s collection of home décor items. These eponymous decorating staples have a million and one uses in the home. For example, hang a pair of baskets, labeled with monogram letters, on the back of a shared bathroom door or near the front door. These baskets will help roommates keep important items separate. Wicker baskets can also be used to organize kitchen spices, living room or bathroom reading material, laundry, and towels.
New Orleans’ French Quarter is likely the most well-known of all the neighborhoods in town. The neighborhood is bounded by Esplanade Avenue, Canal and North Rampart streets, and the Mississippi River. Iconic local landmarks including the US Mint, French Market, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, and Moon Walk (named not for an astronaut but deceased local political icon “Moon” Landrieu) lie within this neighborhood.
The Vieux Carre neighborhood is older than the United States itself, dating back to the cusp of the 17th century when the French Quarter was born as a meager stretch of roughly 40 square blocks. Rife with the mystery of hundreds of years, the French Quarter abounds with stories of sailors, pirates, musicians, and Voodoo queens. Certainly fascinating for its myriad of architectural styles, restaurants, and nightlife, the French Quarter’s history is alive and well, blooming and thriving, like flowers in the neighborhood’s many secret gardens, amongst the wild revelry.
Much of this history is kept alive through the work of The Historic New Orleans Collection, headquartered on Royal Street. The HNOC functions as both a museum and research center. The Louisiana History Galleries are only one section of the HNOC’s work but this collection of permanent exhibits on Louisiana history is a must-see for residents and visitors alike.
The French Quarter is known to be party central in New Orleans all year round. There is to-die-for antique and art shopping along Royal Street, masquerade shopping on St. Ann, and of course, there is always Bourbon Street for rousing and carousing any day of the year. Not to be forgotten is Harrah’s Casino, which borders the French Quarter at Canal Street.
Though fine dining may not be one’s first thought at the mention of Bourbon Street, the Red Fish Grill on is worthy of changing some minds. Proprietor Ralph Brennan, of the Brennan Restaurant dynasty, serves up incredible Gulf seafood dishes including, of course, redfish.
Galatoire’s Restaurant, also on Bourbon Street, has been a New Orleans staple for more than 100 years. As one might imagine of such an institution, tradition at this establishment is as rich as the food.
If you want to be near the excitement of downtown, but don’t want to live in the middle of all of the noise that French Quarter living affords, you might prefer Canterbury Square apartments in Metairie, LA. This beautiful apartment community is just minutes from downtown New Orleans, but these two bedroom town house style apartments offer peaceful luxury with the styling of a French Quarter condo. This community features large patios, beautiful New Orleans style courtyards, two swimming pools and a playground area.
Louisiana’s state capital, Baton Rouge, is a wonderful city for families, students and young couples alike. Baton Rouge or “Red Stick” hosts activities for all ages, making it a great place to start a family.
Whether you’re a resident of one of our Baton Rouge apartment communities or a visitor, there’s always something fun to do in Louisiana’s capital city.
Photo courtesy of a getmahesh
LSU is home to the beloved Tigers, an all star team with a huge following.But LSU has more to offer than just football. Check out these unique university hot spots:
Baton Rouge is home to a plethora of world-renowned museums.
Baton Rouge, like the rest of Louisiana, is home to a fantastic food culture. To learn more, consult our Baton Rouge dining guide.
Being the state’s capital and a huge college town, Baton Rouge has some great bars and night clubs.
All of these attractions and more make Baton Rouge an incredible place to live. 1st lake has several beautiful properties in the area.
Lake Towers is nestled right in the middle of downtown Baton Rouge in the historic Spanish Town community. Lake Towers offers a peaceful option to downtown living with its gated lakefront location. As a resident you can enjoy an updated kitchen, appliances, and a washer and dryer. You have full access to the fitness center, private pool and gazebo overlooking Capital Lakes. Become a Lake Towers resident today.
The Regency Club Baton Rouge apartments are unlike any other in community in the city. This apartment community boasts a beautiful open floor plan, wood-burning fireplaces and private patios and balconies. As a resident, you have full access to the state of the art fitness center, swimming pools, tennis courts and sand volleyball court. The Regency Club is conveniently located near all of the best Baton Rouge attractions.
Spring Brook is yet another beautiful apartment community in Baton Rouge. Spring Brook fits a wide variety of needs with five separate floor plans. Each apartment has either a patio, additional storage or a balcony. As a resident, you will enjoy a huge chef-style kitchen and spacious bathrooms. During downtown, work out in the fitness center, swim in the pool or relax in the hot tub. Spring Brook also offers fully furnished extended stay options.
If any of these Baton Rouge apartment communities interest you, please apply for a lease today!
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Related posts: Northshore Neighborhood Guide, Metairie Neighborhood Guide.
A matter such as etiquette in the internet age may seem as antiquated and esoteric a matter as ancient equestrian fashion, yet in today’s fast-paced world where more interactions take place than ever, perhaps politeness isn’t so irrelevant after all.
Dirty Laundry
A shared laundry facility is an oasis for interacting in an apartment complex. As such, it is important to exercise etiquette to facilitate a more pleasant living situation for everyone. One commonly encountered problem relates to space. Remove laundered clothes from machines as soon as possible to alleviate laundry room congestion. If all the machines are occupied when you arrive, there comes a temptation to remove clothes from a machine to use it. Before resorting to that, however, wait 15 or 30 minutes to see if the owner returns to remove their clothes. If you’re under a time crunch and have allowed ample time for the owner to return, it may be okay to remove clothing from a machine but only if a basket or bag is available, sitting on top of the machine for example.
Noise Pollution
Be it late-night band practice or a vocal pet, chronic neighborly is one of the most difficult problems to navigate for the renter. Even though renters are not permanent residents, it is still uncomfortable to touch on a sensitive subject such as noise pollution. The best course of action for just about any small dispute is, of course, to talk with the offending party. Ask your neighbor to end practice by a certain hour of the evening and try to work out a schedule.
Pet Peeves
Everyone loves a puppy! Except perhaps those neighbors whose lawns are used as puppy potties, that is. If you have a neighbor allowing their pet to run wild, first discuss the matter with your neighbor. Some problems, such as a very young dog in training, can’t really be helped. Lawn pottying, however, is not one of those issues. If a polite discussion does not resolve the matter, renters should consider consulting their condominium board or landlord in regard to the matter.
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
