Create a Southwest Mexican Rustic Home Decor With Equipal Furniture

Mexican style home decor can add color and originality to any home. One way to create a southwest Mexican home decor is to decorate with equipal (or equipale) furniture. Equipal furniture gives a genuine Mexican look and feel because it is made of pigskin hide and designed in the remarkable colors and patterns that are commonly found in Mexico.

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In history, this type of furniture dates back to the Mexican Conquest. During this time period, Cortez appointed equipale seats to be the "seats of honor" for high-ranking persons. Today, you can still purchase traditional equipal furniture, with Estaca splits, palma frames, and tanned, stretched pigskin hide. Every piece of furniture is an original work of art due to the random marks and imperfections found in the pigskin hide.

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Barrel Chairs and More

The most popular type of equipale furniture is the barrel chair. Barrel chairs are shaped similar to a barrel and have a high or low back. Some chairs feature painted desert scenes on the backrest, which can add flare to your Mexican decor. Others might be a solid color - blue, orange, red, brown or tan - without designs. There are also oversized chairs, ottomans, barstools, sofas, love seats, tables and willow back chairs. The bottom of the chairs features interwoven Estaca wood splits that resemble patterns often found on outdoor lattice fencing.

Great Features

When using equipal furniture to create a southwest Mexican rustic home decor, keep in mind all the benefits of using this type of furniture. Many of the furniture pieces can be used indoors or outdoors (great for patio or sun room decor). They are comfortable and extremely durable. Equipal furniture is lightweight so you can easily rearrange your room any time you want. You can also arrange your equipal items similar to any other furniture. You can find all matching pieces to create an entire living room or bedroom decor-Mexican style.

Accents for Equipal Furniture

Your southwest home decor doesn't have to stop with the main furniture pieces. There are hundreds of products that can be used to accent southwestern decor and furniture. To name a few...Mexican glassware (including margarita glasses, unique drinking glasses, and blue rim glasses) for the kitchen or dining area. For the living area and hallways, add rustic sconce light covers and a Mexican tin mirror. Display talvera pottery near your equipal sofa or chair. Add equipal tables to your living area with decorative lamps, photo frames and other rustic decor accessories.

You'll find it's easy to achieve a southwestern decor look and feel for your home if you shop online. There are online shops that specialize in southwest Mexican rustic home decor and offer furnishings and accessories at a fair price. Look for special offers when you combine equipal furniture with other Mexican decor accessories.

Don't settle for mundane home decor...live out your dreams with beautifully crafted equipal furniture!

Create a Southwest Mexican Rustic Home Decor With Equipal Furniture

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Special Price!!! Comfy Bean Beanbag Small Vinyl

Nov 07, 2011 13:54:30

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Comfy Bean Beanbag Small Vinyl Feature

• Child sized bean bag chair
• Measurements: approx 31" wide, 33" deep, 20" tall
• Soft easy clean vinyl fabric
• Hip Retro 1960's comfort

Comfy Bean Beanbag Small Vinyl Overview

Comfy Bean Lounger kid sized bean bag chair in easy care hip vinyl fabric makes a super place to plop down and relax. Filled with our special blend of virgin recycled styrene bead (made from recycled plastics to help the environment before being used as the resin to make the beads) and new recycled chopped foam (all new foam recaptured from seating industry cut offs and scraps destined for the landfill) creates a durable and comfortable lounging place. Lightweight and easy to clean "Retro Chic" ...proudly made right here in the USA by Bean Products of Chicago, IL.

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Small Home Office Decorating Ideas! Your Guide to Creating the Home Office of Your Dreams

Having only a small space to work with has its disadvantages. However, with a bit of focus and forethought, you can design a home office that is not only practical and functional, but is also conducive to your style and personality. This holds true when accessorizing any room in your home. The only difference being that when you design a small home office you would want to choose space conservative options as it pertains to a work station, shelving, storage and lighting.

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It obviously would not be practical to purchase large bulky pieces of furniture when creating your perfect small home office. The workstation/desk is the centerpiece, focal point, and most used piece of furniture in any home office.

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There are various options to choose from when selecting this important feature. Two of these options include compact and wall-mounted desks. They are both practical for a small home office and each has its pros and cons, which are largely dependent on your unique style and needs.

Compact Desks are wonderfully suited for your small home office if you have ample space for storage furniture such as a file cabinet, bookcase, or an optional room divider.

Wall Desks are ideal if you desire an all-in-one solution that includes space for both your computer system and office supplies.

Designing a Functional Small Home Office

When designing a functional small home office, you would need to consider four essential elements. These include the wall color, lighting, storage and organizational needs of your small home office.

All these factors are important in creating an ideal workflow that would, in turn, increase productivity.

Setting the Mood of Your Small Home Office with Use of Color

The use of color is essential in the functionality of your home office, as it will help to create a particular "mood" as you enter the space. Will you be seeing clients in your home office? Do you want your home office to be warm and inviting? Do you want your home office to blend in with the rest of your home's décor? Do you want your office to be stimulating and conducive to creativity or calm and relaxing?

These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself before choosing a wall color for your small home office. It is also important to remember that some colors can make the small space appear even more cramped and may not lend to a spacious feel.

According to behr.com, wall color can lighten the mood and improve productivity in your home office. Here is a run down of colors on the color wheel and what "mood" you can achieve with their use.

Cool Colors - greens, blues and purples are shown to have a calming affect. If you are easily stimulated, it may be helpful to choose a cool wall color to help you relax and "get down to business".
Warm Colors - reds, yellows and oranges give any space a warm, inviting feel. These colors are also invigorating and can help to awaken your creativity. As a word of caution, warm, muted tones should be chosen over bright, bold colors as they tend to be distracting and may not be conducive to productivity.
Whites - perfect to give your small home office an open spacious feel. However, too much white can be straining on the eyes. A wonderful alternative is to use another wall color, but have white as an accent color or for trim and moldings. This would give your small home office a crisp, clean look.
Neutrals - earth tones such as charcoal, umber, ochre and sienna would be ideal if your small home office is open to other rooms within your home. A neutral wall color would blend perfectly with other surrounding color choices. Neutrals are also not considered distracting and would aid in keeping your mind centered on the "business at hand".
Meeting the Lighting Needs of Your Small Home Office

There are three ways to light your home office. These include:

Ambient Lighting Task Lights Accent Lights

All these play a part in striking the right balance between business and pleasure in your small home office.

Ambient Lighting

Basically, ambient lights provide lighting for the whole room. This can be accomplished through the use of ceiling light fixtures, torchieres and table lamps. Ambient light fixtures are a necessity in any small home office as they account for the majority of illumination in the space.

Those on a budget can afford stylish ambient lighting for their small home office by purchasing torchieres or floor lamps. There are a plethora of lighting accessories to choose from in either a local furniture store or on-line. One such on-line store that provides a wide selection of torchieres, ceiling light fixtures and table lamps is LampsPlus.com.

Task Lights

Task lights are another home office necessity and provide directional or focused lighting for reading, filling out paper work, working on the computer, etc. Many task lights come with the added feature of an adjustable base that allows you to direct the light where you need it most. These light fixtures help to avoid eyestrain and headaches, thereby, boosting productivity.

Accent Lights

Unlike ambient and task lights, accent lights are viewed as optional. However, they are useful in adding a decorative element to any space. If you want to showcase a particular object or wall hanging, then accent lights are ideal. The use of accent lights in your small home office may be just what is needed to add a personal touch to your office's décor.

Storage Furniture in Your Small Home Office

As mentioned previously, if you choose a wall desk, it includes space not only for your computer, but additional storage for office supplies. This may alleviate the need for some office furniture. However, you may find that you still need a bookshelf and file cabinet. If your office space doubles as a bedroom or other living area, you may desire to purchase a room divider as well.

Before purchasing additional office furniture, it is important to measure the area to ensure that you buy pieces that accommodate the space in your small home office. This will help to alleviate the hassle of having to return merchandise when you discover that the piece is too large for the space.

You would also want to consider the arrangement of your furniture pieces in your small home office. By placing the pieces in an "L" or "U" shape, all supplies would be in easy reach. Some experts purport that arranging your furniture pieces in this fashion would boost your productivity.

Two options that would provide needed storage are modular bookcases and room dividers that have bookcases built right in. The second option serves two purposes in that it lends both privacy and shelving for office supplies, books, etc.

Bookcases are also designed with adjustable shelves, which accommodate oversized books and supplies and those with doors. Those with doors would add a stylish and personalized touch to your home office's décor.

When deciding on a file cabinet, there are several things you should ask yourself before making a purchase. Some of these include:

Do you work primarily with legal or letter size paper? Some file cabinets only accommodate for one or the other. However, some are available that would provide storage for both.
Is your storage needs more conducive to a vertical or lateral file cabinet?
Will you be filing important documents? If you are, make sure that you inquire specifically if a particular file cabinet of interest is fire resistant.
Do you want to ensure that the file cabinet will not tip over (who doesn't right)? There are file cabinets available with an internal locking system that will only allow you to open one drawer at a time and those equipped with a safety device that would guard against the file cabinet from tipping if several drawers were opened at once.

This may appear to be a lot to consider, but it is best to answer these questions beforehand as it will save you from having to return or exchange items that are not conducive to your small home office needs.

Staying Organized: Essential in Any Small Home Office

One important factor that affects productivity is organization. By storing items you use frequently in an area that is easily assessable would increase what is accomplished each day by decreasing the amount of time it takes to retrieve essentials.

Experts at OnlineOrganizing.com state to have "a world of organizing solutions" and have suggestions on how to organize your home office to promote efficiency. They recommend that the least needed storage files should be furthest away from your workstation in an inactive "work zone" and those items used frequently need to be close at hand.

A simple solution would be to have three different storage zones that include items used frequently, occasionally and rarely.

Storage Zone One - Frequently Used Items

These items need to be easily accessible. One idea would be to place papers you need on a daily basis in a bin on your desk. If you have books that you use each day, consider locating them on a wall-mounted shelf above or near your desk. Another solution would be to designate the shelf in your bookcase that is most easily accessible as the area to place books you use frequently.

Storage Zone Two -- Occasionally Used Items

These are items used from time to time but not on a daily basis. You would want to keep these items in your "work zone", but their accessibility does not need to be at "arms length" as is preferable with items used frequently.

For example, you could store these essentials in a file cabinet under your desk. If you had books you use occasionally, you could store them in the highest shelf, or the one directly above the one that is most easily accessible.

Storage Zone Three - Rarely Used Items These are basically archived files. You could purchase a different cabinet for these files and they would not necessarily need to be in your "work zone".

For books you rarely use, you could designate the lowest shelf in your bookcase for their storage. This would eliminate the need to bend down often, as you would only need to retrieve these books or rare occasions.

Although it only takes seconds to bend or stoop, over a day's time, these seconds add up, therefore, decreasing your overall productivity.

Designing a Personal Home Office

This is where you can add a few personal touches to your small home office. A few ideas would be:

Include a few family photos or pictures that are relaxing or lift your spirits. If you want to bring a little of the outdoors in, you could incorporate a vase of flowers or a few potted plants for greenery.
Include items in your small home office that reduce stress. This would not only add a personal touch - as these items would be unique to you - but may also boost productivity. Two such items could include a stress ball to squeeze or a small basketball hoop placed along the wall to shoot baskets when things get a little tense.
Include a water element, such as a small water fountain or fish aquarium. This would not only aid in relaxation, but would add a decorative touch to your small home office.
Summary: Creating the Perfect Balance in Your Small Home Office It may not be effortless, but you can create a small home office that is not only professional but also includes elements that are unique to your personality and style in home furnishings.

To sum up, Practicality + Functionality + Personality = a small home office that is both personal and professional.

You also want to ensure that your small home office is conducive to productivity and exudes professionalism. This is especially important if you "entertain" clients and business associates in the space.

However, you don't want to exclude personal touches altogether as this is one of the many advantages to working from home. You are basically your own boss and call the shots per se. Isn't that the allure of working from home in the first place?

It is important to find the perfect balance of business and pleasure without one interfering with the other. If you frequently have clients in your small home office, it may be essential that it retains a professional look and feel and may not allow for too many personal touches. You also wouldn't want your "personal" items to interfere with your workflow and productivity. However, you can still express your style in the furnishings you choose for the space.

These are all points you should consider when creating your small home office. With forethought, you can design a working environment that is not only conducive to productivity, but also expresses your unique style and personality.

Small Home Office Decorating Ideas! Your Guide to Creating the Home Office of Your Dreams

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Special Price!!! Bean Bag Lime Green Plush

Nov 06, 2011 17:29:24

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Bean Bag Lime Green Plush Feature

• Found in At Home > Furniture > Chairs > Bean Bags

Bean Bag Lime Green Plush Overview

Premium 11.5 Cuft / 10lbs / 112
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Pear-shaped design offers back support or rounded appearance as needed. - Complies with U.S. Flammability standards and CPSC Guidelines for zipper closures. - 100% Recyclable Product. - Product is Refillable - Proudlymade in the U.S.A - Double-Stitched with Clear Nylon for added Strength

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How to Choose Window Treatments For Oversized Or Irregular Windows

New construction properties are being built with some beautiful, oversized and irregular sized windows in many of the homes. These windows are absolutely beautiful and they allow so much natural light to enter the space. They can be extremely dramatic and can be the focal point of very a beautifully designed room. They also create difficulty for many homeowners. Some have issues with too much direct sunlight, or lack of privacy and others just are not sure how to dress the windows so that they work with their decor and do not look overwhelming or out of place. However, dressing these windows so that they are both beautiful and functional does not have to be that difficult. With a little careful planning, creativity and ingenuity, you can create a beautiful window treatment that will be the highlight of your room.

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The first step to getting your window treatments right the first time is figuring out what function you need your window treatments to serve. If privacy is an issue, you need to understand what types of window treatments will provide the type of privacy you need. If light control is an issue, again, knowing the different types of treatments available for light control will help you narrow down your choices. Perhaps aesthetics is your primary concern. You will need to know what treatments will create the best look for your type of window and design style. Here is a basic breakdown of the types of window treatments available and what their main functions are:

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*Draperies and curtain panels are usually made from fabric and can be designed with pleats, tab tops, rod pockets, etc. They can be hung from rings and/or drapery pins on curtain rods, medallions, traversing rods or other creative hanging systems. They can vary in style from modern to traditional, contemporary to eclectic depending of the fabric, color, pattern and style. They can be dressed up with valances, swags, cornices or scarves at the top of the treatment. Drapes and curtains can be functional and provide privacy or transparency or could be purely for aesthetics.

*Blinds can be horizontal or vertical and can be made from various materials such as metal, wood, or synthetic materials. They can vary in color and style and can be embellished with colorful and decorative banding. They come with privacy and blackout. They can be extremely versatile. Some styles can be made with top down bottom up and remote controls, which makes them useful for windows that are hard to reach.

*Shades can come in fabric, wood, natural fibers, and synthetic fibers. Like blinds they can be modern and clean or they can be designed with slouches and swags for a more traditional design. They too can be sheer for allowing light, privacy lined or blackout for sleeping in. They can have additional embellishments like top down bottom up and remote controls, which could make them very useful for larger, higher to reach windows.

*Shutters can be made from wood or synthetic materials mixed with wood. They can provide light control and privacy. They can be implemented into varying design styles from traditional to more contemporary designs.

Once you have decided on the function your treatments, the next step is deciding how you want your window treatments to look. Look around your home and decide what your design style is. If you are more traditional, you will want to consider draperies and swag valances as options over any functional treatments you may have selected. If your style is more contemporary, simple panels over roller or solar shades may be your cup of tea. An easy way to coordinate your treatments is by color. To do so, make sure that your selections have a color match with another fabric. Your fabrics do not need to have all the same colors in common. A red from a floral or plaid and coordinate with the same red in another style of fabric, such as a stripe. A solid piece, such as an accent pillow in that same color to round out your palate.

The most important thing to consider, regardless of your design style is scale. You will want to create treatments that fit the scale of the room and the windows. Many homeowners with two story windows make the mistake of only dressing the lower windows. Although if done correctly this can look nice, ideally you will want to address both levels of windows. If you have a more traditional style, formal swag valances over each of the windows will create drama and interest. You can also add drapery panels to the lower windows underneath the swag for function and added aesthetic. Floor to ceiling drapery panels with swags at the top will also create a very dramatic, formal and more traditional look. If you have multiple windows united in one area, consider treating them as one window. Perhaps panels on each end with a beautiful, dramatic valance across all of the windows can add the drama you need.

If you have a more contemporary design style, simple floor to ceiling grommet top or pinch pleated panels on either side of each set of windows can create drama and elegance. Sheers draped dramatically over the higher windows and pulled back with a tie-back can create drama in a more casual room and can also take the edge off of a brightly sunlit room.

The Internet can be a great resource for creative two-story and irregular window treatment ideas. A simple Google search for two-story window treatment ideas will come back with hundreds of pictures of creative solutions for irregular and oversized windows..

When it comes to window treatments, we are only limited by our own imaginations. Creativity is the key to creating beautiful, dramatic window treatments the fit the scale of our rooms and that coordinate with our design styles.

How to Choose Window Treatments For Oversized Or Irregular Windows

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Top 10 Portable, Naturally Gluten Free Healthy Snacks

Ah, snack foods. The land of high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats and excessive packaging. The land of oversized bags, tempting you to stick your hand in just one more time, for one more handful.

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STEP AWAY FROM THE BAG!!

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There are lots of better options out there. It does take a little pre-planning, but we are used to that eating gluten free.

Celiac disease makes us automatically more aware of what we put in our mouths in order to not get sick. So let's take it a step further to make choices that can impact our health, energy, and potentially our body composition (fatness vs not fatness) in a positive manner. You could very easily just have a smaller version of what you might have for another meal. A snack of some chicken breast, green beans and a little olive or macadamia oil is very common for me. It depends on what your resources are, how portable you need your food to be, and if you have refrigeration or a cooler. A small soft sided cooler with an ice pack is a great thing to keep with you, and then you're never caught absolutely starving and headed for the closest crap food to dive into. A general rule of thumb I like to follow is to try to include a fruit or vegetable source in the snack, a protein source, and possibly a healthy fat.

(Side note-Some people consider nuts and nut butters to be a protein source. Me, not so much. If you look at the nutrition facts for lets say 2 TBSP of Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter. There are 16 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein. So yes, there is some protein, but there's twice as much fat as protein. See what I mean? It's fine, it's a good healthy fat source, but I wouldn't consider it a bunch of protein.) This way you get a snack that helps you get a larger amount of produce in your day, and gives you some lasting energy.

These are in no particular order, by the way.

1-Apple and string cheese-my go-to snack. Very portable, easy, and tasty.

2-Celery sticks and natural peanut butter with a small container of cottage cheese or greek yogurt. Try to get the plain kind-the flavors add ALOT of sugar. You can generally find the Greek yogurt Fage or Oikos brands in many regular supermarkets. They are thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, with a higher protein content.

3-Deli turkey slices (make sure it's gluten free, Boar's Head brand is very common and gluten free) wrapped around baby carrots

4-a small handful of almonds with a piece of fruit, and a hard boiled egg ot three

5-sliced bell peppers dipped in homemade bean dip (seriously-can't be easier-open, drain and rinse a can of white or garbanzo beans, throw 'em in the Magic Bullet or a food processor with some garlic, thyme and a tiny drizzle of olive oil and some sea salt, add some cayenne if you like or whatever spices. Voila) or storebought hummus

6-small pop top canned tuna and celery or carrot sticks, small handful of nuts

7-Plain Greek yogurt with some berries, and sliced almonds or crushed walnuts

8-Cottage cheese with a piece of fruit or some cut up veggies. You can also make this like a "ranch" type dip by adding some seasonings and blending until smooth.

9-Ostrim jerky-ONLY THE NATURAL FLAVOR IS GLUTEN FREE!! But it's tasty, doesn't require refrigeration, dairy free, and high in protein. Add an apple and you're set.

10-A protein shake and a handful of almonds with an apple. Protein powder you can keep in your car, won't go bad, and all you have to do is have a secure bottle and some water to shake it up and you're good to go.

11-I know, I said 10, but if the guys in Spinal Tap can take it to 11 so can I. A couple ounces of chicken breast left over from dinner the night before, some green beans and slivered almonds. Yum. I'm a big fan of cooking in bulk, and having leftovers to have either as snacks or as entire meals. Why cook 2 chicken breasts when you can cook 10? Save time, save energy, and have great healthy food ready to grab.

Top 10 Portable, Naturally Gluten Free Healthy Snacks

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The Three Most Popular Pieces Of Kitchen Furniture

When you think about the kitchen the first thing that jumps into your mind probably isn't the furniture. Most people, when asked about what's in their kitchen, will tell you about cooking appliances, refrigerators, stoves, and cabinets and they always seem to leave out the whole furniture aspect. Even though kitchen furniture sits faded into the background around all of those pieces of cooking equipment and there's a lot more interesting furniture to talk about in your other rooms, it is still nice to know what your options are.

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Not everyone has a large enough kitchen to put a nice piece of furniture but for those who do you will find they put one of three popular pieces or some sort of combination of those three pieces. What are those classic kitchen furniture pieces, you ask? Well, the most popular pieces you will find in the American kitchen are the round table, the mobile or stationary Island, and chairs or kitchen bar stools.

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Form tends to fit function in the modern kitchen so it should be no surprise that these three pieces are the most common ones. Each of these pieces allows for a specific feature to be added to the kitchen that almost every single homeowner requires: more counter space. The kitchen table and the island give you additional space to work with in the kitchen. You can put your oversized cutting board when you're chopping vegetables or sit dishes (like tasty pies) for cooling. The more available space you have to use the easier it is to cook a delicious meal. Why do you think famous chefs like Martha Stewart and Julia Childes have such large kitchens in their homes? Added counter space, when paired with the talents of a good cook, translates to better tasting food.

The chairs and bar stools are popular choices because they allow you to turn what was once just a utilitarian kitchen used solely for cooking meals into a hang out spot. Human beings are social animals and more than half of our social skills have developed around the consumption of food. Why not extend the socialization to the food preparation? Your children can sit around in the kitchen doing their homework while you cook dinner for the family, your friends can have some cocktails and chat with you while you prepare the party's meal, and you can have romantic conversations with your date before the dinner even begins. When you throw a few comfortable chairs into the mix the possibilities for added social interaction are practically endless.

The Three Most Popular Pieces Of Kitchen Furniture

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Plan Ahead - It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark

Ask any 9-to-5er what they should plan for when starting a business and they'll tell you, "Have a back-up plan in case you fail." True entrepreneurs, however, will warn you to plan for success. Because, surprisingly, it's success that can really kill a new business if you aren't prepared for it.

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When two renegade cows took over a billboard above a busy highway outside Atlanta in 1995, no one knew the message they conveyed would be heard all around America. The three-dimensional billboard shows one black and white cow atop the back of another cow, who was painting the words, "Eat Mor Chikin®."

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In his book by the same name Eat Mor Chikin, Inspire More People, Chick-fil-A® founder S. Truett Cathy explains that the company had no idea that the advertising campaign with the now-famous cows would prove to be so popular. The company had not planned a major, nationwide billboard campaign, but when Cathy saw the positive response from that first billboard, he saw the unexpected opportunity and took advantage of it-and the rest is history. For more than a decade, Chick-fil-A's renegade cows have been amusing the public and driving customers in herds to the popular fast-food restaurant.

According to Chick-fil-A, within a year, the Richards Group, the advertising agency that developed the original billboard, turned the renegade cows into an integrated advertising campaign that included point-of-purchase items in the stores and radio ads.

Since the cow campaign debuted in 1995, Chick-fil-A's business has increased five-fold from 0,000 in 1995 to more than .64 billion in 2007. Not bad work for a couple of renegade cattle and a paintbrush!

Prior to that campaign, the company hoped for success in the general sense, but no one could have foreseen the impact that one little billboard would have. So, don't just prepare for failure; prepare for success.

Numerous business books are filled with horror stories of businesses cannibalized out of business by their own success. It doesn't matter how good you are if you can't meet an increased demand for your product or service. Be ready to succeed. Plan for it and have a contingency plan.

In 1995, when teenage rebel Shawn Nelson decided to build a bigger, better beanbag, not too many folks laughed. He sold the oversized, overstuffed bean bags to family and friends until one day he got an order for 12,000 of them from a company rep who saw and liked the bags. He officially founded LoveSac® with some friends in 1998.

Their 0,000 order might have seemed like a windfall, but with a company of one, Shawn had to scramble to produce that first big order. He did, using all the profits to complete the huge order, but the Cinderella story had begun. In 2005 he walked away with million as the winner of Richard Branson's (Virgin Atlantic® owner and billionaire) reality TV show "The Rebel Billionaire."

Then in 2006, with only 0,000 in estimated assets, Nelson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. His top 30 unsecured claims totaled more than .2 million. That hasn't stopped him. In 2008, Nelson's unique seating became the only seating in a refurbished Texas movie theatre. He hasn't let his roller coaster ride of success and failure deter him from his business.

Entrepreneurs never travel smooth, flat highways. No one does. While most businesses won't ever experience the extreme ups and downs of Shawn Nelson's LoveSac® venture, complete with winning a reality show and a million dollars, you never know what can happen. So, plan for success. Failure will take care of itself. If you focus on failing, that's where your mind will be. Refocus and plan to succeed. Big corporations do.

Car manufacturers are working on new models years before the public ever sees them. Microsoft knows what will happen this year, next year, and the next. Even as one new product is hitting the shelves, research and development has already started working on the next product and the next improvements.

For the new entrepreneur just starting off, that pressure can seem immense. You haven't even gotten your first year under your belt and already you need to project the next year and the next and the next! Relax. You don't have to do it all at once. There is a process to get to the top of the stairs. Take it one step at a time...

Recognize that most business owners are entrepreneurs by default. Default entrepreneurs simply have a hobby, passion or need to make more money selling something they're particularly involved in. They are sold on their product and assume others will be too. They fail to look ahead, let alone plan ahead. If this is you, be aware that there's a lot more to owning, running and succeeding in a business than just having a good product or service.

Plan Ahead - It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark

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Alternative Uses For Your Living Room

Like most colonials, our home has a family room and a living room. And like most homeowners, we spend a lot more time in our family room than our living room. In fact, my 7 year old still gets confused when I use the term "living" room. It's now just known as the "red" room in our house.

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With some minor changes and a lot of inspiration, you can turn your living room into something you'd actually live in! Here are some possible uses and design tips to help you get started:

Oversized Bean Bag

Home office - Home Office means different things to different people. It could be a place to pay bills and file paperwork, or a place for kids to do homework, or you may run a business out of your home. Whatever your definition, focus your design around the function of the room.

Provide a clear surface on which to work. It's easy for a desk or table to become overrun with "stuff" resulting in no place to actually work. Tight for space? How about a table that drops down from the wall when needed (like a Murphy bed)? Add a comfortable desk chair that is adjustable and doesn't squeak (trust me on this one!). If your room has carpet, consider a plastic floor protector to help you wheel around easier. Add lots of hidden storage, but be sure to clearly label your storage units so you know where to find things. Lighting is key! You will need overhead as well as good task lighting. If there is no overhead light, add some up-lighting. Select functional accessories that add personality by do not cutter the space. But be careful not to make it too institutional - it's still your home, after all! Keep the palate light and bright to inspire energy. Minimize and secure cords as much as possible. Go wireless wherever possible.
Library - Love to read? Have a great book collection? Turn your living room into a cozy place to curl up with a good book! It's like having your own coffee house.

Add lots of shelving. Rather than just adding bookcases, consider customized bookshelves built around a window to create a window box seat. Not only will you get additional storage, you'll add a wonderful focal point to the room. Instead of a traditional sofa or loveseat, opt for two or three comfy club chairs (depending on space). Gather those chairs around a round glass-top coffee table with a wood shelf underneath to show off some of your favorite coffee table books. Provide task lighting for each reading chair. Pharmacy lamps are great for this. Make sure you also have enough lighting to see the books on the shelves. As a library, you can comfortably use darker paint to create warmth. Accessories - add a warm toned rug, soft throw blankets, and pepper the walls with black and white photography to create a coffee house feel.
Toy room - A toy room can be a great compromise between parents and kids in the eternal battle of toy clutter!

Opt for shelving with attractive bins that can hide the clutter inside them, and allow for pick-up in less than 5 minutes. Open storage looks messy, even when the room is picked up. Avoid a collection of mis-matched toy organizers - they look tacky! Make sure the room is comfortable for grown ups as well as kids -add a comfortable chair or loveseat. Add a kid-sized table and chairs. Tip: put a machine washable rug underneath to survive craft time! Keep the room bright with cheerful colors, but avoid "cutesy" - save that for their bedrooms. If your kids enjoy movies, add a TV and DVD player. Set clear rules for cleanup, and stick to them!
Media room - Do you enjoy watching movies? Create your own movie theater in the comfort of your own home!

Add French or pocket doors and light-blocking shades to create a dark, quiet environment on demand. Add a large screen TV with surround sound. Add a dimmer switch to better control the lighting. Add task lighting to allow for discreet multi-tasking while watching a movie. Depending on how many people will be watching the movies, add enough comfortable seating. Tip: use two loveseats angled at the corners of the room opposite the TV, and toss a couple bean bag chairs behind them for extra seating when necessary. For decor, just frame a few of your favorite movie posters and hang them on the walls. Don't forget the DVD organizer and a handy remote control holder!
Mud Room -Depending on the layout of your house, you could convert your living room into an oversized "holding cell" to accommodate coats, back packs, shoes, calendars, cleaning supplies, dog bed, pet food and much more. You get the idea!

Assign a "locker" to each family member (don't forget the family pet). Lockers provide vertical storage that makes good use of the space while hiding its cluttered contents. It's a great storage solution for jackets, purses, backpacks, and more. Lockers can be wood or metal, whichever you prefer. Add wall hooks for guest coats, umbrellas, etc. Add a shoe rack for wet or dirty shoes. Place vinyl placemats underneath to protect your floor. Create a mail box for each member of the family to control mail flow. Add a credenza or file cabinet to file all that mysterious paperwork that wanders into the house. Create a message center by painting a wall (or part of a wall) with magnetic and/or chalkboard paint. Make it "pop" by adding a large empty gold leaf frame! Add a colorful rug. Rather than get one large rug, opt for a couple smaller rugs that are machine washable. How about a small drop-leaf table and a couple chairs for small projects, or for putting boots on?
Stag room - What can I say? If you must have one, here are some ideas:

Add a pool table, and a dart board (if room). Include a bar and some bar stools. Opt for a darker paint color that won't show wear and tear. Display your favorite neon bar sign, deer head, or other prized possession. Add a juke box in the corner if you like. Don't forget the traditional "dogs playing poker" print!
Overwhelmed? Call an Interior Re-designer in your area. They specialize in making rooms work using what you already have. It's a very cost-effective way to bring new life to your old room.

It's time to start actually living in your "living" room!

Alternative Uses For Your Living Room

Oversized Bean Bag

Kids Storage Bins Digital Camera Wide Angle Lens Upholstered Storage Cubes