You know of people with large, lush yards with trees, shrubs and flowers that bloom and burst with color most of the year. Your deck looks barren by comparison. Little do you know the grass is actually greener on your side of the fence.

Your yard is a calling card, a welcome mat, a great big smile for your home. It's the first thing guests notice when they arrive and the last thing they see when they leave.   

Last year, IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, opened doors to their Las Vegas location. This was the Swedish company's first store in Nevada and marked their biggest push yet into the Southwestern United States. At Polar Shades, we are proud to have been -- and continue to be -- a part of their exciting operations.

Most residents of Las Vegas take advantage of the city's climate by spending as much time as possible outside. Homeowners who design an outside living room find they are able to expand their personal living area while creating plenty of possibilities for entertaining.

Outdoor living space is valuable regardless of the square footage, and while you can most definitely do more with a larger area, there are a number of ways to enhance even the smallest of backyards. Whether you're looking for extra room to relax, cook, play, or entertain, the right design, and scale of furniture and accessories, can help to transform any yard in to the open-air oasis of your dreams; here's how. 

1. Create a focal point. 

Draw the attention of the eye away from the size of your yard, and towards one or more focal points, such as an archway, outdoor fireplace, water feature, or winding pathway. 

It usually happens in the most unexpected way, such as: you become attached to a vacation mug that conjures happy memories of a trip, so instead of stowing it in a far-away kitchen cabinet, you place it, front and center, on your home office desk and load it with paper clips. Now you can count on those happy memories to counteract deadline stress or grumpy clients throughout the day.

Layering is the secret to creating a well designed living space. Small touches like the pillows and throw blanket you set on your couch or the curtains you hang on your windows can have a big impact on the look and feel of the room. By layering different fabrics, textures, colors, and patterns, you can create a lot of visual appeal in your home. Here are a few ideas for how you can use layers to style your home.

Clark County residents enjoy an impressive amount of sunny days at an average of 292 days per year. In fact, Nevada trails only behind Arizona when it comes to sunniest states. Why not indulge in sunshine and beautiful weather with a patio that's stylish and comfortable? The following is a quick look at the steps you can take to transform a basic concrete slab or wooden patio into a cozy and gorgeous outdoor living room:

Many years ago roller shades were objects of art: sheets of translucent cloth or paper, painted with colorful landscapes and romantic scenes -- and visible to people both inside a home and admirers who happened to be walking by.

Some funny things happened after your new, electric window shades were installed. Initially, they lived up to expectations by providing you with the convenience, security, energy savings and elegance you were promised.