Your kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in any home, so you’ll want to create a space large enough to suit your functional needs while looking open and flowing well.

Along with interior window shades, try these six designer tricks to make your kitchen look and feel bigger:

Choose shallow cabinets

Lower kitchen cabinets have a standard depth of 24 inches, while 12- to 15-inch depths are usually found in upper cabinets. There’s no reason you can’t use the shallower depth on lower cabinets as well, since it helps you gain floor space in a smaller kitchen. In addition, shallower cabinets make it easier to find and reach for what you need.

As your spring cleaning gets underway, you may complete some tasks out of habit, doing them the way you – or even your parents – have always done them. You might be making some mistakes, however, and not cleaning as efficiently as you could be.

These are 6 chores you may be doing wrong:

Overloading your washing machine

You may try to save time by doing a huge load of laundry at once, but you could end up with a load of dirty clothes and even a broken washer. Don’t fill your machine more than ¾ full of clothes, and make sure to put them in loosely rather than packing them in tightly. Otherwise, they may not get clean since they won’t be able to move around and be rinsed properly. Overfilling your washer can also cause damage to your agitator.

Cleaning windows on a sunny day

You may be tempted to clean your windows when the sun is shining through them, highlighting every smudge and speck of dirt you want to clean. Doing so will cause them to streak, as the sun’s heat causes the them to dry too quickly. Instead, wait for a cloudy day, or pull your shades down on a day when you’re cleaning the inside of your windows.

There's nothing quite like Nevada's warm spring and early summer weather. Especially in the lingering hours post-dawn and just before dusk. But even the most beautiful weather won't entice people to stand around for longer than a few minutes. Rather, what is needed to entice people to come outside and stay outside is comfortable outdoor seating areas. An outdoor patio set underneath a shady veranda welcomes morning coffee drinkers and late afternoon conversations. A lounge overlooking a garden view or fire pit draws people out and entices them to spend more time outdoors. 

As your child grows, it’s important to update their bedroom to not only ensure their comfort and safety, but to also reflect their style and personality. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to overhaul the look of their room. The simple changes below can easily transform their bedroom.

Here are five simple updates to make to your child’s bedroom:

1. Upgrade to a toddler or full-size bed

If you are transitioning your child’s room from a nursery to a big-kid room, it’s time to switch from a crib to a toddler or full-size bed. Your crib may already have features that convert it from a crib to a bed, such as being able to lower the mattress, installing a toddler rail and removing the dropside from your old crib. If the crib is not manufactured to be convertible, you could purchase toddler bed conversion kits.

If you want to update the look of your backyard, landscaping around your deck or patio can have a big impact. These small renovations can improve the function of your outdoor space by providing more shade making the space more practical. Here are a few backyard landscaping ideas for your deck or patio to get you started.

Add a Pergola

A pergola will create a gathering space, while providing a lot of much appreciated shade and privacy. These beautiful structures add a lot of visual interest to the yard as well. But you don’t have to feel limited to the traditional style pergola. There are many different types of pergolas and pavilions in different colors and made of different materials. You can find the perfect style to complement your home’s exterior look.

From flowers, to foliage, to veggies, home gardens are great! They offer outlet to de-stress and explore Mother Nature in new ways, and when you're done, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

That said, if your gardening skills are greener than your thumb, it pays to do your homework. Here are a few newbie gardening tips we thought you'd find helpful:

Start Small

It's much easier than you may think to plant more than you can handle. Begin your garden with a small patch. That will allow you to get acquainted with gardening basics while learning about weed and pest control during the process.

Create a Compost Heap

Compost is essentially a world of minerals and nutrients that come together to create happy gardens. It's made of organic matter, which, as it decomposes, becomes rich in elements optimal for enhancing plants' lives.

Sometimes it's the smallest issues that give us the largest headaches. Especially when it comes to things that break, in and around our home. For large things, like a leaking roof or broken AC unit, a professional will need to be called to fix the issue.  Smaller headaches, like loose cabinet doors and squeaky floors, are rarely worth the expense of an expert. However, that doesn't mean you should just ignore them. Instead, fix it yourself with the following home repair and home maintenance tips you can quickly, cheaply, and easily do in 10 minutes or less:

Falls at home are a major cause of serious injury that can result in hospitalization. But in many cases, they can be avoided with a little prevention.

All parents know when you have a child you’re constantly dealing with messes. Here, there, and especially in a child's playroom. But when you incorporate a few innovative storage solutions into the play area, it can encourage your child to help keep their play area clean and tidy.

The UV rays from the desert sun can take a toll on your outdoor gear. Las Vegas residents know if you want your vehicles and outdoor furniture to last, you need to beat the heat. The coating on most outdoor furniture and decor is made for less harsh climates. Stop relying on "weather proofing" that doesn't cover the desert sun and choose a local solution. Turn to Polar Shades Express Powder Coating to protect all your outdoor decor. 

Preserve Your Outdoor Oasis

When you find the perfect set of outdoor furniture or finally get that motorcycle you've been dreaming of, you want it to last. With the hot summers and dry winters of the desert, you're often lucky if that color lasts two years before fading. Polar Shades Express Powder Coating ensures the perfect shade of blue chrome on your bike or the elegant ivory on your metal patio set stays as sharp as the day you bought it. 

Express powder coating was specifically engineered to be used on exterior metals and surfaces in extreme temperatures. The process of powder coating uses electrostatic charges to create a stronger bond with the intended material. Rather than being layered on, each piece of powder is independently bonded with the material, preventing fading, peeling, and scratching.