Archive for August, 2009
You Never Need A Battery With The Solar Keyring Torch
Everyone likes the bright sun, but the problem with the sun is that it fades away as dusk approaches.
However, with the Solar Keyring Torch you will never have to be alarmed about the approaching dusk because you will have a fully charged torchlight to help see the door locks on your car or home.
The keychain has a small solar panel that stores energy up from the sun during the daylight so that at night there is enough power to run three very bright LED panels so that you never have to stumble around in the dark after work. [ via ]
Poor Home Sales Mean You Can Be Adventurous With Your Designs
In pre-recession years every house looked the same, plain neutral tones that people were advised to use, meant that your potential buyer could imagine how his family could live in the space. A home was for selling not for living in.
Now that you have begun to realize that you won’t be going anywhere in a hurry, the possibilities are only limited to your own imagination.
It no longer matters either what the neighbor’s think and the realtor knows to keep his mouth shut.
With every stroke of the paintbrush that old world of cream and blandness will be gone, replaced by warm reds, sunny yellows and restful green. It might take a while to adjust to such freedom, but inspiration is everywhere and you will begin to build up a picture of how you want your home to look like.
From books to public buildings, homes of friends and family, interiors magazines and the internet are all great sources. If you have a favorite picture, take colors from it, if you love vacations by the sea, introduce a seaside theme into one of your rooms. [Color Schemes]
The Minefield Of Exterior Paint Colors
Do you ever feel like you are overwhelmed when it comes to picking out colors for your home?
While you may not be sure if this is how you feel, you probably can relate to feeling utterly confused and overwhelmed from color wheels if you are trying to choose the best color for your home.
Plus, since paint is not cheap nor is the time you will invest painting your home, you cannot take the risk of choosing the wrong color which may only make your fear of selecting the wrong colors more intense.
Throw in the fact that your neighbors are going to judge your final choice as well and probably let you know since they have to stare at your decision for the next twenty years, and you may want to read the following tips to help you through the decision process!
One of the first things you need to do before thinking about potential colors is take a nice long look at the exterior of your home and evaluate what colors are already present in your palette that you cannot change.
The Wonderfully Strange Kultur und Wirtschaft Plastic Chair
The NRW-Forum Kultur und Wirtschaft exhibit in Germany currently has an exhibition of designers such as Marcel Wandes, Marc Newson, and David Adjaye that contains a standout chair design that is made both for people who love to slouch and love to give the appearance of a comfortable seating expereince.
The white plastic chair has a gentle support and an umbrella like casing so that while you lean back the entire chair appears to be supporting you which is visually confusing but unique.
Even better, there is a small hole in the lower corner of the chair perfect for stringing a laptop battery charger through if you plan on working while seated!
[ via ]
Selecting Your Indoor Waterfall Design
In recent years there has been a new trend for home waterfalls, this is partly as a nod to all things Chinese but also it is believed to be relaxing to listen to the sound of moving water.
There are a multitude of styles available, from small ones designed to sit on a table top to more elaborate features designed to be built into a wall.
The water features can come in very many materials from copper to glass and even stone. Some are very intricate whilst others are simplicity themselves.
Whatever your own personal tastes, you are bound to find something to suit your home and budget. Waterfalls for the wall are usually meant for the yard, and are often part of meditation and yoga which is widely practiced in the United States these days. These can be stand alone or for a more natural look incorporated into a new wall when it is built.
Shop around to get the feature that best suits your own home; they make a great focal point both inside or out. So many materials can and have been used that it is purely down to like or dislike.
The Bad Side Of Wooden Garage Doors
If you have an attached garage in your home you may think about accenting it and making it look more like an accessory than a garage which can be simply done by dressing it with a wooden door.
Wooden garage doors that match the trimming of your home are a wonderful way to make your garage look like an addition to your home instead of a distraction from it.
Before you head out to purchase a new set of wooden doors for your garage however you may want to consider the following facts.
You need to consider what type of weather conditions you experience on a year round basis as you want garage doors that can withstand everything that is thrown at them and certain weather conditions are not the best for wood garage doors.
High winds for example are a threat to wooden garage doors and especially if you have a double garage with one garage door affixed, since there is not enough support.
Any area that often sees tornados and hurricane winds is not a great area for wooden garage doors no matter how well they may compliment your house.
Quirky Global Warming Mug, Watch The End Of The World Over Coffee
Global warming may not be something to joke about, but the charming quirky Global Warming Mug will make you smile as you fill it up and may also help bring some awareness to the subject among your friends and family.
The concept of the Global Warming Mug is fairly simple, as you fill the mug up with a hot liquid such as coffee or hot chocolate and watch the water on the cup seep into the continents mainland areas.
Once the cup is full you will have a unique glimpse of what the world will be like once the Polar Caps melt. For an added perk, the mug is also ironically microwave safe! [ via ]
Giving Your Home A Mediterranean Feel
In home interior design the Mediterranean look is nearly always in fashion, it is fresh and timeless.
When styling your home you can take as little or as much of this theme as your heart desires.
In the bathroom, tiling with elaborate patterns and lavish accessories can be very easily achieved.
Keep the cabinets neutral and let the mosaics shout the taste of the sun. Plenty of candles always work well in the bathroom where you can relax and unwind after a long day at the office.
Before you embrace the Mediterranean determine first how you want to interpret it, often less is more. Look out for interesting pieces like ornaments or pictures but do not get carried away. There are many different colors to choose from but only select one or two or the whole look will be over done.
Terracotta is both warm and fairly neutral so that could be a very good background color for a room. By then adding touches of aqua, yellow or a much brighter blue the taste of the Mediterranean is within your grasp.
Make Sure The Room You Choose Suits Your Needs For Home Office Use
With the advancement in electronic technology more people are choosing to work from home and creating the right working environment is the key to being productive.
If you have a room that can be dedicated to an office it is much better because you will be able to make it exactly as you require and also be able to shut the door at night and leave your work right there.
Plan out what is required by determining who will use the space and how.
Make sure there are enough electrical points because by its very nature an office can use a variety of different machines and gadgetry. Lighting too is important and ideally for an office, main lighting combined with individual task lighting will suit most types of work.
Having sufficient storage to hold all relevant paperwork and other necessities is important. If you set up an easy to use filing system right from the start then you will never end up with a cluttered space. So make sure everything has a place and is quite well organized.
Paul Loebach Turns His Hand To Saggy Vases
Paul Loebach has recently created a series of three saggy vases that are perfect at providing a home for your flowers and your artistic self-expression as they are unlike most contemporary vases.
At first glance, the vases demand a second look as they appear to be wilting pieces of wood; a trait that while undesirable for plants is aesthetically pleasing for the vase.
The vases are actually two pieces of solid maple that has been sanded down and bound together by a separate unstained piece of wood which perfectly accents their atypical shape and adds the final touch to the creation. [ via ]
