In the last post, we looked at the impact the Internet has had on all of our lives. The convenience it has afforded us has allowed us to do everything from shop to work online and most of us have become so dependent on its conveniences that we are often hard pressed to find another option.

However, being the age that I am, I reverted to past behavior when I found myself in need of a wall clock for my family room. Wanting something really special to hang above my fireplace, I went in search of a bricks and mortar location; as I couldn’t imagine finding something of high enough quality online. But when I pulled the phone directory out and began to leaf through it, my teenage daughter stopped me in my tracks with “Are you kidding me mom?”

She logged on within seconds and had me at this amazing website where I found all of the most stunning, high quality (and affordable!) clocks I could ever hope to find in a retail outlet – and then some! Everything from grandfather clocks and mantel clocks to wall clocks and atomic clocks were on this one site and easy to browse by style, price, or manufacturer.

In found the wall clock I was looking for and it only took minutes. Within a few days it was delivered to my door and every time I look at it I am reminded of the luxuries I am privileged to have access to online.

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Today’s consuming public is used to a high level of convenience, afforded to them by the Internet. The conventional meaning for “legwork” – referring to the effort and research that shoppers would traditionally put into finding the perfect product is now work that is done on a virtual – rather than physical – level. Shopping has become something that is done from a work or home computer; with the click of a few keys consumers can compare and contrast similar products in terms of quality, performance, and price. Even products for which consumers may not expect to be able to shop online are readily available; such as clocks.

Clocks are something to which people rarely give much thought – until they are in the market to buy one. Hanging from our walls, sitting atop our mantels, standing in the corners of our rooms, or perching on the edge of a bedroom nightstand, clocks are something that we take for granted in terms of their functionality. But shopping for clocks becomes more than just finding a functional clock – it becomes about finding a clock that works with the overall design of the home; something that can be accomplished online.

Suppliers such as 1-800-4CLOCKS that offer online services understand the importance of offering high quality products in a way that is most convenient and acceptable for modern consumers. Customers can logon and find clocks of all types - mantel clocks, wall clocks, atomic clocks, grandfather clocks, and styles – contemporary, traditional, antique – from the comfort of their home. By having this convenient service, clock manufacturers such as 1-800-4CLOCKS allow shoppers to take the time to examine the many styles of clocks available to them and decide what will work best for their home.

If we can’t get creative in our own homes, where can we get creative? After all, this is the one place in the world where we have creative license to do whatever we want to do and no one is going to judge us for it. Those who enjoy bolder colors are given the go-ahead to put reds, yellows, and other eye-popping colors in areas throughout their home and those who prefer a particular decorating style in terms of furniture and other accessories are able to see those plans play out in their home. It’s a blank palette and it’s ours for the taking!

Clocks have always been those pieces that helped to move our decorative plan along and make it something truly special. There are a variety of ways in which to use clocks and most of us are looking for creative ideas for making the clocks in our home come to life in a way that allows us to infuse our own personality and see our vision realized.

To this end, clocks can be used in a variety of ways including:

* Clocks shouldn’t be used in overabundance in the bedroom, but you don’t have to necessarily use those atomic clocks with flashing digital numbers either. Consider an antique styled clock on a nightstand or a mantel clock on a dresser or occasional table.

* Hang a wall clock in an area of the home where it is a focal point rather than just an accessory. Wall clocks are especially dramatic in areas such as dining rooms and even in a downstairs formal powder room!

* Don’t forget the kitchen. The kitchen is often one of the most overlooked rooms in the home in terms of décor. Just because we cook in this room doesn’t mean it can’t be decorated fabulously. Consider a wall clock or a mantel clock in this room to give it some creative spark!

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Buying a first home is an exciting – and well, terrifying – experience. There is nothing better than the feeling of independence that comes with owning your own home and for young people who are just starting out this first experience can mark their first foray into the real world on a number of different levels. Of course there are many things to consider with the purchase of a first home, financial considerations notwithstanding. But when the dust clears and the new homeowners find themselves standing in the middle of their new place, it becomes all about decorating. White walls and non-descript design needs to be transformed into a home that says something about the people that live there. And one of the ways that new homeowners can infuse their own personality into their new home is through the use of clocks.

When most people think of a clock they think of a functional piece that is used to tell the time. And this is true. But it is not the only thing that is true about clocks. Modern clocks are as much pieces of furniture as they are time telling devices. Made in a variety of styles including contemporary, traditional, antique-inspired, country, and the like, clocks can be an affordable way to add style to any room in a new home.

*Try a mantel clock on a fireplace. With just this small addition the entire face of the fireplace can be transformed.

*Hang a wall clock in an entranceway where it can add sophistication and its melody can welcome visitors. Or try a wall clock in a dining room where you wish to add an air of formality.

*Try some unique atomic clocks in a bedroom where fun additions can really liven up the room.

The term “flow” is often used to refer to a house that is able to – through the use of natural construction or design pieces that trick the eye – lead those who enter the home through a seamless transition from one room to the next. There is a symbiotic relationship between the elements in one room and the elements in another; enough so that a flow of energy is created that gives the home a natural sense of openness and that you are not being met with wall after wall as you travel through the house.

For those homes that were not built from the start with an open floor plan – those more traditional homes that have one boxy room after another – there is a challenge placed to the homeowner to create the flow themselves. This is something that can be done with the proper elements. Many times homeowners employ the philosophies of such design techniques as those used in Feng Shui and other principles to help stimulate the natural flow of the home. But in other cases, through just the use of different colors along with textured materials and pieces of furniture – that don’t match but are familiar from room to room- the homeowner is able to create a synthetic flow that did not originally exist.

Clocks used room to room allow for that familiarity without having to necessarily match each piece to the next. A mantel clock used in the family room, followed by a wall clock used in the sitting area, followed by a small – almost unnoticeable – atomic clock on a shelf in a study; these are all ways in which to use the clock to weave an unidentifiable but still perceptible thread throughout the home.

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