Fresh Paint: Easy DIY Home Upgrades

diy home improvement ideas
Getty Images

DIY Home Improvement Ideas

If during the pandemic you had the overwhelming urge to nest, you are not alone. I personally channeled my inner interior designer and painted, wallpapered, and moved furniture every day. The desire to love my space became part of my daily mental state.

Now the world is opening up again (yay), sunshine is seeping through the windows, and I am still at it. And most likely, so are you. Whether you are changing things up in the home you have owned pre-babies or just moved to the suburbs — there are ways to makeover your space with a few coats of paint for a brighter home. So in the spirit of being realistic about your time and money. Here are some ideas on updating one room or spot in your home.

painting a wall diy home improvement ideas
Getty Images

Paint a Space for an Instant Lift

I love a nice white painted wall, and frankly, I have to get talked into a new paint color every few years. If you have the same ‘challenge’, pick one area you feel needs a bit of life, choose a color that you haven’t tried before, and paint away. Once the new color hits the wall, it is a welcoming refresh and may inspire you to paint more rooms.

Change Up the Wooden Stairs With a Bright Color

This is one of my favorites, and while it can be a bit tedious, the payoff is tremendous. First, give your stairs a refresh of a base coat or apply a new base coat. Then using painter’s tape — tape the seams of the stairs, basically at the parts you don’t want to get any paint on. Make sure you paint over the tape, so you have clean lines after the paint dries and the tape is removed. Finally, using a Semi-Gloss, paint the stairs, dry, repeat, and voila!

Color Block for a Room Upgrade

You have the painter’s tape, so why not fun up the bathroom wall, kids’ room, or the bathroom with color blocking. Color blocking can go from simple to a bit more intricate. Thankfully, there are many tutorials online that can help you with the more artsy color blocking. I like to first use a yardstick to pencil in the line, then outline it with painter’s tape. I stick to triangles or more geometric shapes as they are frankly the easiest to do.

Tip: Your color blocking doesn’t have to be in geometric shapes. You can paint half the wall, half a circle, or a square on the wall. I have even used color blocking in place of a faux ‘headboard’ for my oldest son’s first toddler room.

kids writing on a chalkboard wall
Getty Images

Paint a Chalkboard Wall

Are your kids at an age where they are drawing on the walls? Listen, it happens, and kids should not be drawing on the walls. But giving them a fun canvas where it is allowed will minimize if not stop the tagging altogether on your precious walls. I have had chalkboard paint on the kitchen door, covered half a wall, and at one point, an entire wall in the kids’ bedroom. What I love most about it is it looks chic and really can change up a space. Chalkboard paint comes in an array of colors; I love classic black.

Tip: Before you paint your chalkboard wall, make sure the wall is smooth. I will use sandpaper or wipe the wall clean before applying the first coat. Also, I have never gotten away with just one coat; usually, you will need to do at least two coats.

7 Paint Colors that Brighten Up a Room

What paint hues brighten up a room? We asked the experts at Wallauer Paint Hardware and Design , headquartered in White Plains, New York, to shortlist what paints brighten a room up.

Benjamin Moore Excalibur Gray. While this color is on the lighter side, its grayed-out lilac hue is perfect to create an almost neutral moody feel—this color in a relaxing tone-on-tone bedroom.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray. It is not too gray and not too light, and it has a nice mix of warmth and coolness, so it is highly adaptable to fit any style home or design theme.

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. It is a very crisp white and really makes a statement. This shade of white is perfect for a modern Farmhouse or a more traditional home and pairs wonderfully with cool shades like blue or purple.

Benjamin Moore Victorian Mauve. A light dusty mauve that is soft, soothing, and impactful. A great option not only for a living room, but a girl’s bedroom transitioning into her teens. It is a classic and timeless color.”

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee. This color is grounding, yet adaptable. It sets the perfect foundation for nearly any color palette and works as a gentle neutral. “It gives your home a deeper, more relaxed feel than a basic white or off-white paint.

Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray. When it comes to painting a living room. If white is too plain, color is too bold, and beige is too warm, you will not find a more fitting option than a gray like this. “It’s a light, cool color that works really well in both modern and traditional rooms.

Benjamin Moore Polaris Blue. A perfect French blue. It’s vibrant with a subtle gray undertone that keeps it understated and relaxing—just what you want your bathroom or master bedroom to feel like.

Furniture Statement Pieces

You have given your favorite space an upgrade; now, what sort of furniture pieces should you add? We checked in with Country Willow Home in Bedford, New York, for design pro tips on elevating your space with essential furniture pieces. 

Key Furniture Pieces to Invest in When You Are Changing Up the Family Room

The two most important pieces for a family room are seating and the entertainment center. Sectionals, the most popular choice for family rooms, have large sizes and flexible configurations to give each member of the family comfort and space. When shopping for sectionals for a family room, consider investing in performance fabrics. Performance fabrics give you some additional piece of mind when it comes to spills and stains, making it easier to clean. The construction of the frame and suspension for the cushions is also important considering that a family room is a busy place! Entertainment centers have evolved since TV’s are increasing in size and are considered a little more disposable. In lieu of large built-in TV cabinets, entertainment centers have moved to more of a center console with tall bookcases for storage. This gives you a cleaner look with lots of storage.

Design Tricks When Upgrading a Nursery Into a Toddler Room

Look for furniture that grows with your child. If space is a challenge, there are some great loft options that can give you more floor space for playing, and as they grow you can raise the bed to a bunk with a desk and storage space under the bed!

Many parents are also skipping “toddler” furniture and getting higher quality furniture that can last through childhood. It is a better investment and can provide more flexibility throughout the years.

When shopping for any room, be sure to bring dimensions and photos with you so you can get an expert’s advice.

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Cucu's PlayHouse

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Interactive, live-streaming music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!<br />Join us every day from Monday through Saturday at 1:30 pm EST to sing, dance and play together while learning Spanish from your home.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">This class is part of a Spanish Immersion Program where your child will be introduced to basic concepts like the animals, colors, numbers and letters. All of these through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, interactive and engaging.<br />A selection of Children Songs in Spanish guides the class from start to finish. Activities are related to the lyrics, in order to familiarize the children with the words and their meanings. Some of the songs encourage the children to dance. Nilda uses puppets, musical instruments, and props to teach children basic vocabulary through action and interaction, rather than through translation.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />The classes are streamed on Zoom's webinar platform. Participants (children, parents, nannies) are able to join the video from their homes and interact with us in real-time, it is a fun and engaging experience.</div>

Child's Play NY Virtual Classes

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0d8558c-7fff-41d5-daea-321d9ce61efc" style="white-space: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child's Play NY is a Brooklyn-based company founded in 2009, committed to offering a diverse array of theater arts classes for children. They believe studying the art of acting encourages kids to be even more creative, collaborative and compassionate human beings. Since its inception, Child's Play NY has touched the lives of hundreds of students, worked inside dozens of schools and is consistently ranked as among the top theater arts programs. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the 2019 winner of Brooklyn Family's Choice award for Best Performing Arts Class.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall/Winter 2020-21 Virtual Class Guide</span><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a Movie Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Experience creative fulfillment and movie magic with Child’s Play NY! Kids get to make and star in their own film, with professional actors, directors and designers. From development to design to editing choices too, kids can take ownership over the creative process. Their friends and family get to celebrate their accomplishments at a final watch party premiere! Deep project-based learning and peer-connection is at the heart of this 9-week experience which can be done remotely or in-person.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall and Winter Virtual Classes</span></strong></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-left: 36pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong>Hogwarts School (grades 1-3)</strong>: Come get sorted into your favorite house, jump on your Firebolt and let’s make some magic! Class culminates in a movie montage featuring our original scripted work from the session.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Your Own Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make your own custom group to support social-emotional growth and play. Child’s Play NY provides a dynamic teacher and their lauded curriculum that puts peer-interaction at the front and center. Custom classes are a special way to nurture what your child loves most and share that excitement with their friends, in-person or online.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Playwriting (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students will use their creativity, compassion and confidence to build a story they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Individually, each student will craft a play, and together they will workshop their scenes, exercising their acting, directing, and most importantly, imagination skills. Over the course of the sessions, students will learn the basics of playwriting and be able to present any and all parts of their theatrical story. All classes will include individual assignments and collaborative opportunities. Each day will be structured so that all participants have the chance to learn and study other writers’ work, write for 10-15 minutes and share their words with each other. By the end of the semester they will have used their bodies, intellect and imagination to come up with an original play. By being confident, vulnerable and creative with each other and actively supporting and encouraging each other’s work, students will emerge with meaningful connections to each other and a strong sense of their writing and collaborative abilities.<br />Class culminates in a montage and packet of students’ original work.<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Musical Theater Lab (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn how to be a triple threat in this dynamic class for budding performers with Child’s Play NY. Students focus on songs, dances and characters from Broadway’s most celebrated and kid-friendly shows. They work alongside professional performers with years of experience bringing their passion to children. Class culminates in a movie showcase of scenes and songs.<br />Join for the full session, or enroll as a drop-in!<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Shakespeare Scene Study (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young people become confident with Shakespeare’s world, language and characters as they learn how to interpret a role with technique and courage. Classically trained professional actors assist the players in their physical, vocal and emotional transformations. All Shakespeare teaching artists are classically trained professional actors and have performed Shakespeare both on and off Broadway and in regional theaters across the country.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students jump into the worlds of Shakespeare in this robust mash-up of improvisation and classic text scene study class. After learning the plot and characters from several plays, they rehearse and memorize scenes from the original text. New material, devised by the cast, adds a contemporary through-line to their show and highlights the universality of Shakespeare’s themes.<br />Class culminates in a movie showcasing their work.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Big Twist: A New Musical (Grade 1-4)</strong></div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this acting class, students get to perform a brand new musical based on The Wizard of Oz.<br />The Wicked Witch of the South wants to return Oz to a time when WITCHES reigned supreme, and all was evil. Summoning a dark magic Tornado, the Wicked Witch of the South sends Oz hurtling into an alternate Oz. With the Yellow Brick road destroyed, the Wizard left powerless, and the citizens of Oz scattered to the Wind, our heroes are forced into unlikely partnerships to stop the Witch and restore the world to order. The Wizard of Oz meets The Tempest.  Class culminates in a premiere of a movie starring the students, filmed over the last few days of the session.</div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-57c50323-7fff-79ce-175a-5e25408c0e29"></span></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-84ebe141-7fff-03c2-24cf-fead86e88df2"></span></p>

That's Mandarin

<p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">That's Mandarin is one of the oldest Chinese language schools in China. With a unique approach to language learning and our own in-house teaching methodologies; we aim to be not only the most experienced, but also one of the best Mandarin schools in China! We focus on providing the smoothest service and the best teaching experience to all our students; no matter whether they are studying Chinese online with our innovative online language learning system or at one of our Chinese language schools in China. Founded in 2005, That’s Mandarin has been delivering excellence in Chinese teaching for over 15 years to more than 30,000 students of different nationalities. We now have schools in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen with plans to open more locations in more cities soon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>COURSE INFO<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Learn Chinese online and enjoy private online classes with our <strong>professional native Chinese teachers </strong>anytime, anywhere. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Our Online Chinese Course is perfect for students abroad who want to learn Chinese <strong>remotely</strong>. Besides, online Chinese classes are also a great opportunity for those who <strong>don’t have enough time </strong>to come to our Mandarin school. By using That’s Mandarin <strong>special learning platform</strong>, you can have online Mandarin classes with our teachers <strong>anytime </strong>and <strong>anywhere</strong>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We Offer:</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Standard Chinese Course<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• HSK Preparation Course<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Chinese Course for Kids<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Chinese Course for Corporate Clients<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p4" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">All lessons are private Chinese classes with certified native Chinese teachers with 24/7 access to our online system.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">For every new student we offer a <strong>free trial lesson </strong>with us.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>Online Classes Content:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>REAL-LIFE PRACTICE<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Communication skills<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Speaking practice<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Real-life situations<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Modern Chinese expressions<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p4" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>LANGUAGE LEARNING<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• HSK Vocabulary<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Daily Vocabulary<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Useful Grammar<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Set Phrases<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Slang & Idioms<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p4" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>CULTURAL ELEMENTS<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Chinese culture<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Natural wonders<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Famous sights<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Festivals & traditions<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Classic literature, opera & art<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p4" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>HEATED DISCUSSIONS<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Discovering interesting topics<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Discussing global topics<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Social phenomena<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Cultural differences<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space">How</span></strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> <strong>much? </strong></span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">The price starts at $24.</span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>When?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">The schedule depends on your availability as the course is fully customized.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><strong>Where?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">We use our in-house <strong>digital platform NihaoCafe </strong>to help you connect with your teacher, review class notes, and schedule classes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Online Chinese Class content and teacher’s notes automatically get recorded into the system, so it’s easy to <strong>review your classes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• There’s a huge teaching <strong>resource database</strong>, so you can prepare for your future online Chinese classes in advance<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• There is an online course <strong>arrangement system </strong>that manages your booked Chinese classes – to guarantee that wherever you are, you and your teachers can stay informed about the online Mandarin class schedule and changes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Teachers can also add their <strong>own courseware </strong>including webpages, PowerPoint presentations, videos, etc. into the system anytime<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;">• Our professional <strong>IT team </strong>is online 24 hours a day, ready to solve any unexpected issues<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; padding-left: 40px;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><strong>CONTACT</strong>:</span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Website: https://www.thatsmandarin.com<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Email: [email protected]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Phone: +86 10 8448 9799<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>