Archives for December 2017

Decorating Your Pergola for the Holidays

The Best Material for Deck Building in Central TexasYou might not think of making much use of your pergola this winter. While a pergola provides the perfect combination of shade and fresh air in spring and summer, winter tends to be a season for staying indoors. The idea of sitting under pergola in December, even in Texas, just doesn’t sound as good as curling up on the couch. But just because temperatures are starting to drop in College Station doesn’t mean your pergola should go to waste. In fact, it can be the perfect canvas for one of the most fun parts of the season: holiday decoration. Even if you stay inside this holiday season, decking the pergola with boughs of holly can give you something cheerful to view from the window. Here are some of the ways you can decorate your pergola this year:

Lights and Tinsel

The shape and structure of your pergola makes it the perfect place to string lights or tinsel. You can run Christmas lights along the beams or just let them fall in a graceful sheet hanging from the roof. Wrap some garland along the cedar legs or pin the tinsel to a deep red bow in the front center of the pergola. You can even combine the two, wrapping the lights around the tinsel that wraps around the pergola. It’s a simple decoration as most of us have a surplus of lights and tinsel tucked away in storage somewhere, but it can transform your pergola from a summer oasis to a slice of Christmas cheer. Hang a wreath here and there just to add to the feeling. Even on colder nights, your pergola might look so inviting that you won’t be able to help slipping out there for a bit with a wool cap and a cup of hot chocolate.

Holiday Focal Pieces

If your family room is tight on space, you can always move the Christmas tree out to the pergola. A well decorated Christmas tree on its own can transform the look of your pergola. Imagine how much better your Christmas tree will look in a pergola that’s already decked out for the big day. This is a great way to switch up a tradition that might have gotten a little stale for your family. If you’re religious, the pergola is also a great place to put a nativity scene or some hand-crafted Hanukkah decorations. For more general holiday decor, you could place poinsettias at the corners of the pergola or a large, light-filled yard display snowman. There are multiple holidays that can be celebrated in December, and your pergola is the perfect place to decorate for all of them.

Keep Warm

If your pergola is so beautifully decorated that you find yourself wanting to spend time there, despite the weather, keep things cozy with a fire pit. You can gather around with your family and roast marshmallows (or, of course, chestnuts), sing your favorite carols and talk about your favorite parts of the season. A fire pit will not only keep your pergola comfortable in winter, but it will add to that wonderful warm sweater feeling that so often comes with the holidays.

This season, we at Windham Construction hope you have a wonderful holiday season. If you want your own pergola to decorate for the holidays, or simply to enjoy at any time of year, contact us today. Our family has been serving Brazos Valley’s construction needs for over 20 years, whether those needs are deck or pergola construction or interior remodeling. We’d love to explain what we can do for your home this season or any time of year.

How Color Can Affect Your Home Office

Color has a strong effect on our moods. Brighter colors can make us more energized and alert, while soft or deep colors help us to relax. Warm colors evoke cozy, homey feelings, while cool colors can inspire us and help us to focus. So if you work from home, the color of your workspace matters. It can affect your energy level, your ability to focus, and even how productive you are throughout the day. Deciding what colors are best for your home office depends on the kind of work you do and the kind of feeling you want to evoke. Here are some of our favorite suggestions for home office colors and how they can transform your workspace and help you to get things done:

Green

Green is a color that screams creativity and inspiration. Green is an energetic color that can motivate you and help you to center in on the things you want to accomplish. While a bright green on the walls might be a little too distracting, even a light pastel green can make your workspace seem potent with ideas. On the other hand, you could paint the walls some other color but fill the room with accents of green. A green vase, green desk lamp, wall hanging, or green chair will give the room an extra pop. Houseplants are also a great way to incorporate green into your home office. These themes of green through the office will make your home office a place where you can focus and be more productive.

Blue

Let’s face it, your work can be stressful sometimes. Even when you love it, there are always things that you dread or days that are hard to get through. If your workspace gives the wrong vibe, it can make your workday even more tense. This is where blue can help. Blue is a naturally calming color, one that can help you to feel more at ease, no matter what your day throws at you. There’s a reason why most social media platforms use blue as the main color in their design. Blue draws the eye to it and creates a relaxing atmosphere. Deep warm colors can also help you to feel more comfortable, but usually in a cozy way that dissuades productivity. Blue is a great choice for home offices because it can clear your mind of tension and help you to focus.

Yellow

Sometimes the best way to boost your energy in your home office is to give your eyes a break from the monotony. Painting the walls a cheerful yellow will pleasantly surprise your senses and thus, make you feel more alert and focused. Yellow is also reminiscent of the sun, so a yellow workspace can help you feel energized during the workday, and maybe even sleep better at night. Yellow walls, yellow windowsills around the sunshiney window, or yellow plaques to fill the empty spaces on your bookshelf can all boost your productivity and make you feel a little happier in your home office.

If your home office needs a remodel, call Windham Construction at 979-324-8596. We have over 20 years of experience with home remodel and construction services in College Station and the Brazos Valley area. If you can’t decide on a color, we’ll try out different samples so you can see what you like best. Your home office should be a place where you want to get work done, not a place that distracts you from the work you have to do. We’ll help you realize its full potential.