From the earliest times, people have striven to turn their houses into homes through the use of decoration and furnishings, stimulating in turn a major commercial sector dedicated to offering the products and services essential to feed the ever-changing dictates of domestic fashion. Whilst there is plentiful evidence to show that these phenomena can be traced to medieval times, it is arguable that the eighteenth century witnessed the birth of a widespread and sophisticated consumer society. With a comparatively wealthy and socially mobile society, eighteenth-century Britain proved to be a fertile ground for ideas of home improvement and beautification, which were to persist to the present day. Turning Houses into Homes not only maps the history, changes, development and structure of the retail furnishing industry in Britain over three centuries, but also examines the relationships between the retailer and the consumer, looking at how retailers helped stimulate and shape the demand of their customers. Whilst work has been done on specific aspects of the home, very little has been written on the interaction between the retailer and consumer, and the pressures brought to bear on them by issues such as gender, education, status, symbolism, taste, decoration, hygiene, comfort and entertainment. As such, this book offers a valuable conjunction of retail history and consumption practices, which are examined through a multi-disciplinary approach to explore both their intimate connections and their wider roles in society.

In this paper, Nic Frances sets out fresh proposals for a national policy framework for furnished housing. Based upon pioneering local schemes operating in various parts of the country, the paper argues for reforms to the rules governing housing benefit and the Social Fund.

This book explains how to turn the extra space in one's home into a separate living quarters in order to house a relative or to rent out to a boarder to earn extra money.

Comfort, both physical and affective, is a key aspect in our conceptualization of the home as a place of emotional attachment, yet its study remains under-developed in the context of the European house. In this volume, Jon Stobart has assembled an international cast of contributors to discuss the ways in which architectural and spatial innovations coupled with the emotional assemblage of objects to create comfortable homes in early modern Europe. The book features a two-section structure focusing on the historiography of architectural and spatial innovations and material culture in the early modern home. It also includes 10 case studies which draw on specific examples, from water closets in Georgian Dublin to wallpapers in 19th-century Cambridge, to illustrate how people made use of and responded to the technological improvements and the emotional assemblage of objects which made the home comfortable. In addition, it explores the role of memory and memorialisation in the domestic space, and the extent to which home comforts could be carried about by travellers or reproduced in places far removed from the home. The Comforts of Home in Western Europe, 1700-1900 offers a fresh contribution to the study of comfort in the early modern home and will be vital reading for academics and students interested in early modern history, material culture and the history of interior architecture.

Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook, Volume 1 is the same sermon planner you have come to depend on for over ten years with a new topical focus.

Unlock the doors to financial freedom and entrepreneurial success with "The Beginner’s Guide to Flipping Houses." This comprehensive eBook demystifies the art of house flipping, transforming curious novices into savvy real estate investors. Whether you're looking to make a career shift or simply explore new ways to boost your income, this guide is your essential tool for navigating the exciting world of real estate investment. Begin your journey with a solid foundation by understanding the basics of house flipping. Learn why this lucrative business can be your ideal venture and grasp the essential steps that propel successful flips. As you delve deeper, discover how to identify promising neighborhoods and determine your unique investment strategy, ensuring every decision you make is backed by insight and knowledge. Financing your first flip becomes a straightforward process as the guide walks you through your financial options, loan securing, and budget creation. Complement this knowledge with thorough market research and strategic property acquisition, equipping you to confidently enter the buying phase. Uncover the potential of each property with detailed inspection and renovation planning. Learn to craft a renovation plan that prioritizes impactful projects while managing costs effectively. Elevate your property's appeal by mastering staging techniques and marketing strategies to ensure your flip captures attention and yields profit. Navigate the complexities of legal and regulatory frameworks with ease, fortified by an understanding of zoning laws, health standards, and permit requirements. Surround yourself with a reliable team of real estate experts and contractors, leveraging their skills to scale your business and manage multiple projects. Face challenges head-on with problem-solving skills honed from real-world insights and success stories of seasoned flippers. Maximize your Return on Investment by adding value and optimizing costs, ensuring your business not only survives but thrives. Equip yourself with cutting-edge tools and resources for ongoing success, and stay ahead in the competitive real estate market. "The Beginner’s Guide to Flipping Houses" is your roadmap to transforming properties and realizing your financial dreams. Start flipping today and unlock the potential of real estate success.

This book compares perspectives on gender equality in Norway and Japan, focusing on family, education, media, and sexuality and reproduction as seen through a gendered lens. What can we learn from a comparison between two countries that stand in significant contrast to each other with respect to gender equality? Norway and Japan differ in terms of historical, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Most importantly, Japan lags far behind Norway when it comes to the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report. Rather than taking a narrow approach that takes as its starting point the assumption that Norway has so much ‘more’ to offer in terms of gender equality, the authors attempt to show that a comparative perspective of two countries in the West and East can be mutually beneficial to both contexts in the advancement of gender equality. The interdisciplinary team of researchers contributing to this book cover a range of contemporary topics in gender equality, including fatherhood and masculinity, teaching and learning in gender studies education, cultural depictions of gender, trans experiences and feminism. This unique collection is suitable for researchers and students of gender studies, sociology, anthropology, Japan studies and European studies.