When our children are born – or more accurately, just prior to them being born – we spend a whole lot of time planning the design of their rooms. We plan everything down to the smallest detail in coordinating crib bedding, artwork, paint, and so forth. And the end result is a room that is a perfect in every way. As kids grow, however, their needs change – and sooner or later (more sooner than later) they begin to have very clear cut ideas on what they want their room to look like.

At this point, it may become time to embark upon a complete design renovation – turning what is more kid friendly into something that is more suitable for young adults. This is actually a perfect project to do along with kids as they choose the colors that they want, the fabrics, the furniture – and really infuse their personality and choices into what will eventually define their room.

There are many ways to bring a room to life and the use of color is certainly one of them. But beyond the color and the furniture there are accessories that can help transform a room – including clocks.

Clocks are so powerful because they carry so much design weight in such a small package. They can be everything from traditional to vibrant, classic to funky – and still they can moved from place to place in order to maximize their benefits. Everything from mantel clocks to wall clocks can be placed in a young person’s room – giving them a way to tell time (other than that computer and cell phone) and really elevating the décor of their bedroom to something that is far more grown up and sophisticated.

As consumers we have seen the home-renovation trend essentially explode; there are television shows of every variety dedicated exclusively to making over a particular space in a home or even an entire home from floor to ceiling; there are books and magazines detailing the steps that homeowners can take to renovate their living space without spending a fortune. And so, as the diligent students that we are, we have taken the advice to heart and trained ourselves to look at things differently – to find the fantastic among the simple, to seek out those pieces that are inexpensive and pack a solid punch in terms of design.

So it’s not surprising that many homeowners are rediscovering the benefits of having clocks in their home. Sure, clocks are functional items used for generations to tell time. But in early American societies, clocks were handmade items that were not affordable for many households; and the households that were able to afford them cherished them accordingly. They were more than just ways to stay on top of the time of day, they were parts of the home of which homeowners were fiercely proud.

We may have clocks on our computer and our cell phones and every other conceivable electronic device on which we have come to rely so heavily. But if we remember the origins of the clock – the way that homeowners displayed clocks with such pride – we can better understand how clocks can transform a home. And today most homeowners are able to afford high quality, beautifully crafted clocks; there’s something for every budget. Forget the computer clock; look to the mantel clocks, wall clocks, and even grandfather clocks to infuse a home with a luxurious feeling without spending a mint.

There are those things that are so ingrained in our lives that we hardly give any thought to them; so a part of our everyday daily routine that they are nothing to which we give the slightest consideration. Telling time is a part of the human experience, especially in the modern world where we are always in a rush to do something – keeping to a harried schedule that relies heavily on the passing of the hands of the clock. Of course modern inventions have allowed us to tell time through the clocks on our computers, cell phones, and PDA devices with just a glance. But this does not mean that clocks of a more traditional nature cannot be found in the modern home. And while we often do not give as much thought as we should to what those clocks will look like and how they will further the décor of the home they are something that can often be found in every room in our home.

When we begin to understand that clocks combine form and function seamlessly we will understand that they are actually the perfect accompaniments to our home décor.

* Mantel clocks can grace a fireplace or sit atop a countertop, occasion table, or nightstand.

* Wall clocks can turn plain into pizzazz. Wall clocks can be hung in kitchens, in hallways, in entranceways, in living rooms, and even in bedrooms where timing telling can be transformed into a decorative affair.

* Grandfather clocks are the quintessential double feature, able to offer time telling capabilities with the style and design reserved for cherished pieces of furniture.

The Internet has certainly changed the way in which we do our shopping. Now more than ever, consumers have access to an enormous variety of products and services; all of which are theirs for the taking with just the touch of a few buttons. Even larger items, such as clocks, can be found online through comprehensive websites such 1-800-4CLOCKS where they can be browsed, purchased, and shipped straight to our door.

Through reputable online suppliers such as 1-800-4CLOCKS consumers have access to a variety of clocks such as:

*Wall Clocks – Walls clocks are created in a variety of styles; from simple round faced clocks to those designed to look like miniature grandfather clocks. Hung in hallways, entranceways, and in any room in the home – from kitchens to living rooms – wall clocks, in many cases, are much like pieces of art hung on our walls.

*Mantel Clocks – Nothing is more inviting than a fireplace. And adding décor to the mantel above the fireplace becomes something of an art form in and of itself. Mantel clocks are the perfect way to showcase a fireplace and really set the mood in a room.

*Grandfather Clocks – Not every room – or home for that matter – can handle the size and “personality” of a grandfather clock. They anchor a room, create an unrivalled statement, and often become the most cherished of our family heirlooms. For those rooms that require a little less in terms of size, there are grandmother clocks – just as statuesque but smaller in scale.

*Atomic Clocks – At home on desks, nightstands, and in more casual environments, atomic clocks add a personality all their own. Who says that bedrooms and offices don’t deserve their own brand of flair? Atomic clocks can offer the perfect accessory for smaller rooms.

Clocks are more than just means by which to tell the time; used uniquely, clocks can be a fun and fresh way to add instant décor to any room in the home. While there are a great many people who opted to only tell the time through their computer screens and cable boxes, there are just as many who understand that this shortsighted time telling is robbing a homeowner or renter from the true beauty of time keeping – the clock. They are one of the oldest inventions of humans, the way in which we have marked the passing of time for centuries – and we continue to honor that traditional through a variety of designs that suit a variety of tastes and budgets.

What many homeowners and renters are discovering is just how easy it is to use clocks in every room in the home – not just as a way to tell the time but also as a simple and inexpensive means to creating a design that flows throughout the home. Some of the ways in which we can use clocks throughout the home include:

*A grandfather clock in the entranceway of a home - welcomes visitors with warmth, elegance, and sophistication. And the song of the grandfather clock as it marks the hour fills the entire home with melody.

*A wall clock in a living room. A small wall clock that also strikes the hour can be the perfect way to fill space on a wall and add a touch of elegance to any room.

*A mantel clock in a family room above a fireplace – finishes the fireplace with a clean and sophisticated style.

*Atomic clocks in the bedroom – allow people to tell the time in their rooms and infuse their room with personality.

Decorating a child’s bedroom can be challenging to say the least. There is the child’s taste to consider – especially if they are on the older side, as well as your desire to stay within a design that is in keeping with the rest of the home. One of the ways that decorators can accomplish both goals is through the placement of key elements in the room that will speak to the child’s personal tastes and still fit nicely with the design of the home.

Clocks are a much overlooked but still effective element for use in home decorating. When you consider how much a country styled clock can change the look of the room that has been styled in a conventional format, or how an antique inspired wall clock may look out of place in a country kitchen, you begin to get a sense of how much impact even the smallest pieces can have in a home.

By bringing a well chosen clock into a child’s bedroom you are offering the child a functional piece that can help them keep time. For younger children this is especially important as they learn to tell time on their own; for older children it offers a more traditional alternative to atomic clocks that generally sit on nightstands, or the clock keeping time on their cell phones or computers.

Further, even the smallest clock such as a mantel clock set on a dresser can elevate the room design, finishing it off and giving it a hint of glamour and sophistication. Just because it’s a child’s room doesn’t meant that it shouldn’t have as much appeal as any other room in the home.

The spring is just about on the horizon – waiting to replace the winter’s chilling winds and bare trees with warmer breezes and new buds. As humans we have many rituals associated with the coming of the spring season; emerging from our winter cocoon and airing out our homes for the arrival of the warmer months. Spring cleaning is one of our many traditions associated with the leaving of winter and the coming of spring. We pull apart our rooms, rotate wardrobes, clean curtains, dust baseboards, move furniture, and basically deep clean our personal space. In the midst of all this attention to detail we are sure to notice the clocks in our home – those that sit on mantels, stand in corners, or alert us to the time from our bedroom nightstands.

Clocks deserve a little spring cleaning of their own in the way of a gentle dusting and a wipe down of the exterior. After all, they’ve been gathering dust for some time now and the accumulation of dust can have an impact on the time telling capabilities of a clock. This spring, when you’re going over the rest of your home with a fine toothed comb be sure to turn your attention to your clocks by:

* Moving mantel clocks to dust under and around them. Use a soft cloth to gently wipe the face of the glass face of the clock and along the sides. If the glass face opens you can go ahead and gently dust inside the face of the clock taking care not to touch the actual hands of the clock.

* Gently removing wall clocks from their spot in order to perform the same gentle cleaning.

* Dusting the outside of grandfather clocks or grandmother clocks. Any additional service should be done by a professional in order to preserve the integrity of the clocks.

Some time ago on Clocks Blog, it was shared that 1-800-4CLOCKS would like to offer both standard and customized clocks, to individual and corporate customers. The potential advantages to customer are clear. But how much would you want one?

There are companies out there today that have approaches not dissimilar to what we have been planning for years, specifically www.clocklink.com and www.worldtimeserver.com . Of course we will differentiate ourselves both in offerings and strategy.

Would you want to buy a customized web clock? For yourself? For your Company. We are currently planning to launch this effort on a new website at www.ClocksLive.com .

A flash clock will be added to the home page of the 1-800-4CLOCKS.com website, so individuals can see an example of what we are talking about.

Among the offerings we envision are real looking clocks that look real, and default to the set time on your personal computer’s stored time. We see also offering this with grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, atomic clocks, and much more. We are even thinking of starting a niche specialty site for grandfather clocks at www.GrandfatherClocksLive.com.

We would absolutely love and encourage feedback, including from anyone who would want to help turn this over time to the amazing opportunity that it is.

Please send us your thoughts on ClocksLive and GrandfatherClocksLive with any comments, suggestions, or recommendations. All clocks advice is appreciated. This will be just one more way each individual can Add Time to Your Life.

There is probably no single day of the year when clocks - whether grandfather clocks or wall clocks or mantel clocks - get more views than on New Years Eve.  The same holds true for wristwatches and other timepieces, whether tuning in on television to celebrate in cities around the country and world, or celebrating with immediate family and or a few close friends at home.

This is enough to make 1-800-4CLOCKS still relevant and shows the continued need and desirability, not to mention obsession, with the passing of time, and done so in an elegant way.

Atomic clocks, with their at least theoretical one-billionth of a second accuracy for the most accurate ones, and even computer clocks syncing with Atomic Time can supplant the need to be on the same page by watching television network broadcasts.  But a sense of a global community would still be missing and can be enhanced, at least for many, by joining the world with televised broadcasts of the exploits and celebrations in cities around the world.

Some households and parties will no doubt be celebrating around clocks they have purchased from 1-800-4CLOCKS as 2007 winds down and 2008 is welcomed in. We have seen this trend as it has been volunteered to us by some of our customers.  Whether a grandfather clock or grandmother clock, atomic or wall clock, mantel or anniversary clock, or a Rolex or Casio wristwatch, or a cell phone or iPod’s timekeeper, time will be marked by the device of your choice, whether your own or a communal resource like New York’s Times Square with its remarkable display and countdown to 2008.

Let us know if you and yours have any special stories or celebrations to share about how you rang in 2008, and whether a timepiece played a key, or even dare we say interesting, role.

This blogger has a somewhat unusual way of ringing in the New Year, which usually involves being in a movie theater (watching a movie, in case you are wondering), and not even knowing exactly when the clock is approaching, reaching, or passing midnight.

Please share your stories, and have a great time and happy and healthy year in 2008, however you mark time.

Just this morning we got a call from a lady who wanted to know if she could buy a clock she had seen somewhere once before which had twelve different types of frogs pictured on each hour, and with a different frog sound chimed on each hour.  Talk about a niche clock!

But it got us thinking.  What kinds of clocks that are not readily out there would you like to see?

Here are some types of clocks we have heard a need about.  Please email us or post on this blog if you see needs or markets for other types of everyday clocks.

1. How about helping to keep close to perfect time with a full size grandfather clock with Atomic Timekeeping aside from its obvious home decor value.

2. What about alarm clocks that do not make any ticking or other sounds.

3. Clocks to wake up the sleeping dead - alarm clocks that could help even the heaviest of sleepers be sure to wake up.

4. Large digital time numeral clocks, including wall clocks, and without all the bells and whistles of temperature, day, date, month and perhaps even your horoscope.  As the general population is aging. we hear more and more about the need for clocks with larger digits. We also hear more about institutions wanting time only digital wall clocks.

5. Computer and handheld PDA and Apple iPod or cell phone clocks - many interesting ones out there.  Anything you would like to see available that has not yet hit the market?  Also, how much do people rely on these clocks anyway.

6. CLocks with photos of your special someone. or even your entire family with, say, one person’s photo on each hour.  Would you want or buy one of these?

All clocks suggestions are welcome and encouraged.