How to Make your Home Look Expensive on a Budget

You want your home to look luxe, but your bank account has other ideas, know that

you don't have to spend a lot to make it look like you did.

Splurge on Focal Pieces. You may not be able to break the bank on every item in your

home, but consider splurging on attention-grabbing pieces.

Layer Rugs. Rugs are a cost-effective way to add warmth and style to a room. To create

a custom look, layer rugs beneath a furniture grouping.

Employ Trim. There's no way around it. Wainscoting, crown moldings and other types

of custom millwork make a home look elegant.

Use Paint to Your Advantage. Not only is paint affordable, but it is transformative.

Simply painting walls a sophisticated color will achieve the high-end look you desire.

Paint can also transform thrift-store furniture and decor. With many types of paint readily

available, you can easily alter textures within your design scheme. Use chalk paint to

distress a vintage table or a metallic spray paint to refresh picture frames.

Paint Front Doors. Set the tone from the moment a guest arrives at your house. Paint your

front door a color that complements your home’s interior. The door's color will anchor your

home while adding drama and style to your entryway.

Opt for Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring. Love the look of hardwood, but can't afford the

price tag? Luxury vinyl plank flooring is an affordable alternative. You can probably install it

yourself, which means you don't have to pay labor costs.

Fake It 'til You Make It. Expensive homes often have soaring ceilings. Your home's ceilings

may be decidedly lower, but you can make them look higher. Just hang your curtains closer

to the ceiling than the window frame. This creates an optical illusion that makes the room

seem taller.

Embrace Your Artistic Side. Large artwork is a great way to set your home apart, but it's

usually pricey. Try to make it yourself. Simply buy a huge, white canvas and create a masterpiece.

Display your art prominently in your home. When friends ask about it, just tell them you had

the piece commissioned by an up-and-coming artist!

 

Making your home look like a million bucks doesn't have to cost a fortune. You can achieve

a high-end look for less using some creativity and these tips.

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THIS IS WHAT COMING TO THE JOY THEATRE

Five Winter Festivals in Louisiana

Louisiana is a great place for a festival. Known for its excellent food and happy-go-lucky atmosphere, the state does have a few festivals happening, even in the dead of winter. Here's a listing of five festivals taking place in Louisiana this winter.

New Year's Eve, New Orleans

For New Year's Eve, consider coming to the French Quarter. In Jackson Square and along the riverfront, revelers are treated to a spectacular fireworks show to ring in the New Year. There is often a stage set up in Jackson Square featuring live music. This event is not suggested for children, as the revelers can be rowdy and the crowds can be so thick it may become frightening, unsafe or inappropriate for young ones. For adults, it's a great way to ring in 2014. 

 Louisiana Children's Museum Countdown to Noon, New Orleans

For kids, the New Year can be celebrated at the Louisiana Children's Museum. There, the countdown will not be at midnight ... it's scheduled for a child-friendly noon. Kids can ring in the New Year with balloons, games, entertainment and hands-on learning. 

 Christmas in the District, New Orleans

At the turn of the New Year, be sure to catch the tail end of one of the city's biggest holiday displays. Christmas in the District features holiday lights that are coordinated to music. The lights can be seen downtown near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on the neutral ground along Convention Center Boulevard between Poydras and Julia. The display will be available for viewing through Jan. 5. 

Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival, Cameron

The Louisiana Fur & Wildlife Festival is billed as "one of the oldest and coldest festivals in Louisiana." Taking place on Jan. 10 and 11, the festival honors the hunting and wildlife industries. There will be pageants, entertainment, vendors, a gumbo cook-off, and much more. 

Battle of New Orleans Commemoration, Chalmette

On Jan. 10 and 11, re-enactors will dramatize the famous battle of New Orleans, which took place in St. Bernard Parish's Chalmette Battlefield on Jan. 8, 1812. The event will feature musket and cannon fire demonstrations, historical presentations and lantern tours. Period re-enactors will be in full costume to represent the actual clothing and lifestyles of the times. Guides and volunteers will be available for true-to-the-times demonstrations and questions.

Maximalism as it pertains to interior design.

A new philosophy is taking hold in interior design, and it puts the onus on style without clutter. The recession has finally dwindled and people are yearning for all of the sumptuousness, texture, and good looks that they can get. This exciting new movement is being called “maximalism.” So many of us were attracted toward the bare, simplistic movement often referred to as “minimalism” in the last several years. But this new idea of maximalism looks to break that mold and go after the bright, bold, detailed accents that are connected to this new ideal.

During the recession everyone took it down a notch and gravitated toward repurposing. Many people were downsizing and reusing and recycling. The new maximalism means that the recession is almost over, and people are spending again. It’s the place where “more is more” and less is most definitely a bore.

It’s not about  accumulating things. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! Maximalism as it pertains to interior design is about having elegance and sophistication in materials but striking a delicate balance between style and keeping disorder at bay.

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Date Night Ideas in Louisiana

With the cooling weather, there is no better time to schedule a romantic date night with someone you love. Here are a few fun ideas you may want to consider for a date night in Louisiana.

 A Reveillon Dinner (New Orleans)

If your special date night happens to take place on Christmas Eve, you can't beat the romance of a traditional French Reveillon Dinner. The Reveillon is a Creole New Orleans feast that takes place in the hours after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Culinary extravagance is the hallmark of this unique and romantic dining experience. Offered at several dozen fine restaurants throughout the city, a Reveillon Dinner date is one that will never be forgotten; it's a great way to welcome the wee morning hours of Christmas.

 Holiday ballet (Baton Rouge)

Nothing makes a date more romantic than a little bit of culture. Immerse your date in beauty in an entertaining and romantic way by getting tickets to The Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou. Heralded as one of the more uniqueNutcracker productions, this beautiful ballet is a holiday favorite featuring the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Performances take place on Dec. 21 and 22. Afterward, take your date out for a romantic dinner for two at an area restaurant.

 Romantic carriage ride (Lake Charles)

For a special date night, consider planning a romantic carriage ride. Arrange for a New Orleans-style carriage pulled by beautiful Belgian mules to transport you and your special someone to dinner and on a tour through the historic district of Lake Charles. You can cuddle in the carriage and have an unforgettable evening.

 A very electric date (New Orleans)

Consider a night of theater for you and your loved one, followed by a stroll through the French Quarter. Throughout December, the Joy Theater — located on Canal Street, right on the edge of the romantic French Quarter — is featuring a special holiday production, Lightwire: A Very Electric Christmas. Holiday music and unique "electroluminiscent" puppeteers will start your evening off with a warm holiday glow.

 The romance of lights (Natchitoches)

Last but not at all least, consider a romantic night visit to the Festival of Lights, held each year in Natchitoches. Whether you are taking in events and entertainment as a couple or just walking hand in hand to enjoy the twinkling lights of the state's premier holiday display, you are sure to have a memorable evening together in this quaint Southern city.

These are only a few ideas for you and your special someone to enjoy this December. The holidays present many opportunities for warm cuddles in front of the fireplace and walks outside to enjoy the falling leaves and finally crisp Southern air.

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