Convertible sofa beds used to be big, bulky and not that attractive, but nowadays you can get sleek and stylish sofa sleepers that fit easily into your décor scheme.  Sofa beds allow you to maximize your apartment space so that you can host out-of-town guests for as long as you may need.

A great way to use multi-function furniture is for storage.  A large storage ottoman can be used to stow away extra blankets and pillows, then you can put your feet up and relax knowing that you’ve de-cluttered your space.  Another great way to use an ottoman, is for a coffee table!  Gone are days of the standard glass or wood tables- now it’s all about fabric or leather ottomans that are adorned with stylish trays to hold drinks and food.  Another plus- by using an ottoman as your coffee table, you’re actually less likely to keep clutter, like knick-knacks or mail, on top.

If you’re going to use a desk in your apartment home, why not make it extra functional by choosing a bookcase-style desk that allows for extra storage space.  A stylish against-the-wall bookcase with a foldout desktop is the best way to maximize your space, while keeping your work items at your fingertips.  You can also opt for a more traditional desk with a functional style twist- choose a desk with plenty of bookcase-like nooks to store books or even décor items.

Of course, the best way to make use of fresh flowers is to proudly display them in your home, allowing the aroma to fill your rooms and the colors to brighten up your days.  Some of the best flower breeds to buy, or pick, during spring are Daffodils, Daisies and Tulips.  Not only do they have wonderful perfumes and beautiful colors to match, but they are a prominent symbol of springtime.  The best way to take advantage of what spring has to offer is to place fresh, mixed bouquets of flowers in various colors throughout your home.

When bouquets start to whither, you can still use the flowers for décor.  Pull flowers from
their stems and set to dry- in just a few short days you will have a colorful mixture of potpourri  that will continue to fill your home with delicate floral aromas.

While replacing floral bouquets on a weekly basis can get costly, there are other ways to incorporate springtime flowers into your apartment home décor.  A beautiful piece of artwork featuring a floral silhouette can be the perfect item to hang on your wall that will bring out a burst of color and add femininity into your home.  If you want something that looks and feels a bit more true to nature, try pressing fresh flowers and framing them in glass to create your own masterful piece of artwork.

Springtime is the best time of year to make the most of what nature has to offer and incorporate flowers into your home décor- so go see how you can use nature to inspire you!

All too often apartment home balconies are left bare and only visited a few times a year.  But, apartment balconies can be a great extension to your living space and, when the weather is right, become the perfect place to entertain.

On the warm mornings of spring and summer, instead of eating breakfast inside why not take advantage of the beautiful weather and eat in the open air!  A simple, two-chair patio set is all you need to take advantage of your homes underused balcony… and at AVE, we provide those complimentary to all of our residents!

In the evening, keep your balcony open for the night and enjoy the fresh air while dining with a summer cocktail.  This allows you to enjoy the beautiful views that your apartment home really has to offer, including tranquility gardens, lap pools, water features and fire pits at AVE.

Of course, if your residential community offers common outdoor areas- why not take advantage?  AVE offers residents an architecturally designed swimming pool with plenty of places to lounge and chat with friends plus tons of greenery that you can call your own backyard.  Our pergola seating area and outdoor dining spaces encourage our residents to spend their free time outdoors.  Meet new friends and enjoy your neighbors at AVE!

AVE’s Union location is just minutes away from Watchung Reservations.  As Union County’s largest park, it consists of 1,945 acres of forested land and houses trails, a lake, a dam and museum.  But, perhaps best attraction of all is the riding stable.  While you could simply relax and take in the sights, why not do something unique and come back from your business trip a little more educated and learn how to ride a horse?  Watchung Stable offers horseback riding classes and horseback trail trips- so you can enjoy the beauty of nature on the over 26 miles of horse paths.

Who would have thought that you could find a castle in New Jersey?  Near AVE’s Clifton location you can find Lambert Castle, a beautiful hillside-castle built in 1982.  You can learn the history of the castle in the Lambert Castle Museum while enjoying breathtaking views of the NYC skyline and Garret Mountain Reservation.

Somerset County has some of the best golf courses around, so if you’re staying in AVE’s Somerset location, then why not unwind from a stressful work week with a relaxing 18-hole game?  Avid golfers can find pristine courses with varying difficulty levels.  If you are a novice, then drop in on a golf class to learn the best swing and put techniques.

Remember, all work and no play is not much fun at all- so while you’re travelling for business, get outside and take in the sights!

Art-lovers can surely stop and stare at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  One of the nation’s largest museums, it is filled with renowned collections and acclaimed special exhibitions that are truly must-see.  Through May 6, 2012, the museum will hold Van Gogh Up Close, which will feature more than forty works by Vincent Van Gogh which have never before been seen together as a collection!

If you’re looking for a gamble on your business trip down-time, why not hit up the casino?  Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack features 100,000 square feet of gaming, live and simulcast horse racing and endless eateries that will satisfy your appetite.  It’s the perfect mix of weekend entertainment after a hard work week!

If you are more interested in relaxing over the weekend while learning a bit, you can sit-back on a guided tour of historical Philadelphia.  Learn about historical architecture, visit Independence Hall’s Assembly Room where the United States Constitution was drafted and signed, and check out the Liberty Bell.   In just a few short hours you can take in all of the history that Philadelphia has to offer visitors.

So, we’ve put together a blog series of the best things to do in AVE’s four main locations: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and of course, Virginia.  Starting off in Dulles, VA, these are our picks for unique ways to enjoy your weekends while you are away for work.

Imagine sitting back and relaxing with a nice glass of wine while overlooking beautiful rolling hills of the area’s best wineries.  You don’t have to go to California to experience a taste of wine country- it is right in Virginia’s back yard!  The state offers over 200 wineries; in nearby Loudoun County, you can experience boutique wineries where you can sit back and relax while overlooking refreshing, picturesque landscapes.

If relaxing over a nice glass of wine isn’t exactly your speed, try something a little bit more thrilling and take to the road.  Just a short distance from AVE’s Dulles location, Allsports Grand Prix is the area’s premier indoor kart racing track.  With a design inspired by the Monaco Grand Prix racetrack, this high-energy activity will leave you recharged and ready to take on the next work week away from home.

 If you’re looking for a fun, unique and free activity for the weekend, then a visit to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is for you.  An extension of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, this huge facility houses important icons of both aviation and space history and even allows visitors to watch air traffic at nearby Dulles airport from observation towers.  Perhaps the best attraction that the complex has to offer is the Space Shuttle Enterprise.  Sure, on your downtime you can play a round of golf or relax by AVE’s community pool, but why not get some bragging rights and see a spaceship up close and personal?

Here at AVE, we have come to know business travelers very well, so if you are new to business travel take it from us and check out these business travel essentials that you should never be without:

Noise Cancelling Headphones.  Seasoned business travelers understand the value of a quiet plane or train ride.  The last thing you want to hear when you’re trying to get some work done, or zone out, is a snoring neighbor in the seat next to you.  The best way to tune out the noise?  Headphones.  A good pair of noise cancelling headphones is a must-have item for when you’re traveling for business.

Tablet.  A tablet is the perfect gadget that mixes work with play on a business trip.  From 9-5 you can utilize your tablet to prepare presentations and email with coworkers in your home office.  When you have free time, you can utilize your tablet to read your favorite book, catch up on internet news stories or even play a few of your favorite games (Angry Birds, anyone?).

Wireless Internet Card.  While you may not always need to quickly to connect to the internet, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.  If you’re in the airport, or on the plane, and get a message from your boss that he urgently needs you to send him a file, a wireless card will give you quick internet access so you can send your files through instantly.   There’s nothing worse than being stuck with no internet on a business trip, and while many of the places you go are bound to have wireless internet for free or a nominal fee, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

If you’re looking to completely overhaul your space, you should start with the bare bones: the walls and floor.  Your walls should start with a medium to dark grey to give your space an industrial feel.  You can then add a unique accent wall to spice up your industrialized style.  With a simple light grey or silver base coat and accent colors like copper and brown, combined with antique-style painting techniques, you can create a unique distressed metal sheet look.  Another accent wall option: brick.  Sometimes homes will already have exposed brick walls which can be restored to create an excellent accent wall.

Dark, distressed wood is an excellent design choice for floors, but don’t underestimate the power of concrete for this trend.  While concrete is not the most inviting of flooring, it can be stained, stamped and colored to create a beautiful industrial look that truly ties your room together.

For your furnishings, industry loves modern.  Stick to furniture with clean lines and no fuss or added frills.  Couches, chairs and tables should be rectangular or square.  Choose neutral colors like grey, black or taupe and don’t be afraid to add in metal.  Metal accent chairs or tables can really add that industrial feel to a room.  While shiny and new metal is always nice, don’t be afraid to add a little distress into the piece, as this will create a worn industry look that is popular right now.

If a complete overhaul isn’t in the cards for your home you can still bring the industrial décor design elements into your space with cost-effective room accents.  Choosing natural rock or metal items will be your best option as you try to tie this trend throughout your home.  Items like metal bar stools, steel chandeliers or even an aluminum or steel headboard can tie this trend easily into your existing space.  When trying to find unique conversation pieces for your end tables, shop in antique stores or flea markets- they are bound to have interesting items that would be a perfect fit for this trend.

Natural light is one of the must-have items for new home dwellers. The more natural light a home has, the more open and spacious it will feel.  But if you think you are lacking windows in your space, it can be an easy fix to take advantage of the natural light that comes into your existing windows- all you have to do is make sure you have the right window treatments to truly let the light shine in your world.

Go Sheer.  Choosing light colored, sheer curtains will allow natural light to flood into your space.  You can choose a one-panel option and draw to the side, or two-panels which can be separated during the day allowing as much light as possible into your home.  Since they can easily be drawn, curtains are a great window treatment option that will give you the openness you crave during the day and the privacy you need at night.

Choose Half.  If privacy isn’t an issue for you, a nice window option is a valance.  Covering the upper portion of a window, a valance allows you to get optimal light all day, every day.  The added bonus of a valance is the unique designs that are offered.  You can take a chance and add a bold print or color to accent your room without overpowering
your space.

Blinding Light.  Blinds are an age-old window treatment that provide you with versatility for your home.  They are an easy install and can be fully open during the day to get the most of the natural light that shines through your windows.  A nice bonus of vertical blinds is that they can be directed toward one side to optimize sunlight in certain areas of your home depending on the time of day.  At night, it only takes a simple twist to make sure that you have ultimate privacy.

Of course, sometimes the view is just too impressive to cover up… check out AVE communities where views include the NYC skyline, the rolling hills of the Great
Valley, and park-like serenity just outside of your window.

Chances are there will be plenty of days where you are working from the same place that you’ll be sleeping, so make it a point to choose a housing option that provides you with space. Opting for a larger suite can be a huge benefit if you choose to work in seclusion. Many hotels offer open floor plans with beds and desks situated in the same living area. Long-term stay residences, like AVE, offers guests one and two bedroom furnished suite options that will allow you to keep your bedroom separate from your office space, and vice versa. If you choose a two-bedroom suite, you can set up yourself up with a spacious office environment that won’t invade your “personal” space, giving you the opportunity to still work from home, but set your own boundaries.

As much as possible, make it a point to work outside your hotel or long-term stay home. Look into on-site business facilities and conference rooms to host yourself in a 9-5 setting. Many times, business facilities are equipped with office essentials like printers and scanners, copy and fax machines, telephones and even video conferencing- so you’ll be doing yourself, and your company, a favor by taking advantage of these amenities.  Check out AVE communities’ business class services, offering everything from conference rooms to theaters and business centers all available 24/7.

When you’re traveling for work, it’s important to not to let work overtake your life. Set your schedule for work (whatever your normal business hours are when you’re back at the office) and stick to it! Try not to let those hours impede on your after-work unwind time- this will allow you to happily balance your business travels.