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Summer decorating tips – Part 2
2008-05-07 13:32:00
The first post suggested adding flowers to brighten up a space and ad fragrance. Another way to help set the mood of a room or bump up energy levels is to add a splash of color or a funky graphic detail to steer your eye to a particular area of the room. One great way to accomplish this is with small accessories. Throw pillows are perfect for this! They’re small enough to not dominate the room (individually or in small groups), substantial enough to be seen and not very expensive. The nice thing about using small pillows to inject color or a graphic detail is the fact that you can literally “throw� them into any spot you want! They’re useful as well. Let’s face it; a small pillow is always a handy object. Whether you want to lay down for an afternoon nap or just like having one around to hug when you’re watching a movie… throw pillows are just as practical as they are decorative. What’s more, they can (and should) become a permanent part of your decorating arsenal. S...
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Summer decorating tips
2008-05-04 13:31:00
Just like Spring, Summer brings it’s own weather, colors, smells and mood. So it’s only natural that you’d feel the urge to do something to compliment the new season… decor wise. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Who’s got the time and cash to redecorate every season�? Well it doesn’t have to be as difficult or expensive as most of you might think. There’s no need to make big changes to your decor in order to get a new vibe or mood from a room. A favorite summer accessory of mine is a nice bright bouquet of fresh flowers (my wife likes them even more). Now I’ll admit, I wasn’t always a fan of flowers, probably because most people I know always go overboard, but if you keep it simple and clean they can really brighten and open up a room. Since it’s summer time, I prefer light and brightly colored flowers… a small bouquet of wildflowers perhaps. They’re not too expensive and can last for quite a while if you take care to change their water regularly. Some...
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Choosing the perfect furniture for your living room
2008-05-02 13:23:00
The living room is one of the most adaptable rooms in the house. It is where you entertain guests, spend quality time with the family, or relax alone, curled up with a good book. This sort of flexibility and comfort is forged by purchasing the right furniture. Furnishing your living room may seem like a daunting task, but with information about what to purchase, the task becomes significantly easier. Most living rooms revolve around the entertainment center. It is the focal point of the room, and most other furniture pieces are built on top of a style dictated by the entertainment center. Entertainment centers range from sizes just large enough to fit a television to ones that take up the whole wall, and vary in style from modern to classic. The most important attribute to concern yourself with is size, for obvious reasons. If your room is large enough to fit the entertainment center, comfortable and adequate seating, and other accents, you may want to consider purchasing a wall uni...
More About: Living , Living Room , Furniture , Perfect , Room

Small Kitchen Design Ideas
2008-04-25 13:53:00
Is your kitchen small? Does it feel closed, dark and cramped? If so then you’ll love these kitchen design and remodeling ideas that will help move your kitchen out of the suffocating darkness and into the spacious light. Add light to the kitchen.The right mix of natural and artificial light will immediately brighten up the space and make it look larger. A bay window or skylight will add architectural interest and allow a bright flow of natural light. Choosing the best ambient and task kitchen lighting and fixtures will illuminate the kitchen after dark giving the space the same airy, bright feeling it has during the day. Use light colored cabinets to give the illusion of an expanded kitchen space. Avoid standard size cabinets with a smaller cabinet mounted on top for more space it looks choppy. Use continuous high wall cabinets to give the kitchen an illusion of height and more space. It’s just like fashion - if you are petite wearing a belt cuts you in half and makes you look ...
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Using Contemporary Decorating in the Living Room
2008-04-24 13:47:00
When it comes to decorating your living room, you have the option to choose from a number of different styles. Whilst it is possible to decorate in any style that you like however, it is usually better to stick to a certain theme, otherwise you could end up with results which look slightly odd. For example, you could end up with a piece of furniture which you found in a local antique shop and a picture which you love from your local flea market and the two may not go together at all. So by following a theme you will be able to create excellent results which you can enjoy for years to come. Choosing a Theme to Suit Your Living Room When it comes to the living room it is supposed to be one of the most relaxing rooms in the whole house. There are so many ways in which you can decorate the living room but you need to find something which helps you to relax after a hard days work. It could even be that you work from home and in that case you would want something relaxing yet slightly for...
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Eco-Friendly Mower Options
2008-04-22 13:45:00
In addition to push lawnmowers, electric mowers make excellent eco-friendly choices. They’re relatively quiet and have no emissions. If you want to go even greener, you can even buy a solar-powered electric mower — so nothing ever has to be burned to provide the energy to mow your lawn.
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Eco-friendly design can be contemporary
2008-04-21 13:40:00
It is a luxury to decorate your living space with contemporary home decor, but what better way to add to your life style than with items and decorations that not only look good but become a hobby to collect, and a life style choice that makes you feel good. Some of the top trends in contemporary home decor include green decorating, or eco friendly designs and decorations, decorating your home with colorful objects, which researchers show triggers endorphins in people and makes them feel good, and then mixing colors with textures such as woods, metals or fabrics even. No Matter what combination you choose, if the style you choose to decorate your home makes you feel as though you are living a luxury life style then you are making improvements to your life which is always a good thing. Green decorations or eco friendly designs utilise natural, sustainable, organic, recycled and or repurposed products. Although these words are not typically associated with luxury life style and fine l...
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Cutting the cost and environmental impact of your kitchen
2008-04-19 13:22:00
It’s 5 p.m. and you’re getting ready to make dinner for your family. Although you have several appliances in your kitchen that can get the task done, the one you choose can have a significant impact on your energy consumption. When you are cooking in the kitchen, think small. Microwave ovens are definitely much more energy-efficient, and so is a Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot. Microwaves, toaster ovens and Crock-Pots use less energy than heating up an entire oven and they do a great job at cooking food, even portable microwaves use less energy than over-the-range ovens. Another energy-saving appliance is the convection oven, which saves a great deal because it uses a small fan to circulate hot air in the oven, Roueche said. This speeds up cooking time and saves energy at the same time. If you are using an electric stove, make sure the pans fit the burn units. If you use a little pan on a big unit, you are wasting a lot of heat. When your food starts to boil, turn the heat do...
More About: Kitchen , Environmental , Cost , Cutting

Sort that Bedroom!
2008-04-18 13:22:00
Bedrooms are typically the coziest rooms in the house. At least we hope them to be! It is the only room in the house that’s the last place we see at night and the first place we see in the morning. This room should be soothing enough for you to read, sleep, or simply relax in. A basic step to revamping your bedroom is to remove the clutter. Dirty laundry should be placed somewhere else. Anything that reminds you of work or bills should be placed out of sight. If your bedroom has become your office, keep it organized and stylish by using decorative cabinets to store files and paperwork. You can also use a computer armoire that will allow you to shut your “office” when you are finished working. Next, spruce up those walls. Add a touch of color with a colorful splash of paint on the walls, or maybe add an art piece or two. Add some zest to the room with soft and flowing window treatments. Your bedroom furniture sets the tone and style of the room. Remember, having spac...
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Decorating with Ceiling Medallions
2008-04-08 09:49:00
When decorating a room, it is easy to forget the simple yet dramatic effects that ceiling enhancements can create. Usually people think only about replacing furniture, painting walls, changing out floors, and substituting plain lighting fixtures for more dramatic ones. While all of these home improvements can be beneficial, let us not forget the simplicity of ceiling accents. Just because ceilings are over our heads, does not mean we need to be in over our heads when it comes to this area of improvement. By means of a few simple touches, you can add ambience with little time effort, or cost. There are many ways to enhance a ceiling; crown moulding, paint, recessed lighting and coffered ceilings are among the favorites. Affordable and simple alternatives such as ceiling medallions, quickly add style and elegance. These decorative trim accents enrich interior spaces, bringing life to dull ceilings. Ceiling medallions add character and definition. They easily transform plain rooms to e...

You don’t need a new kitchen to get a new look
2008-04-04 09:49:00
One of the most dramatic ways to give your kitchen a new look is to change your cabinets. There are a number of options available today. The most expensive choice, of course, would be to replace the cabinets completely. But, if your cabinets are well-made and in good condition, another more cost-effective route may be the better choice for you. One such option would be to reface the cabinets. This involves applying a new wood veneer to the cabinet bases and installing new doors and drawers. You can also keep the wood look by having the cabinets stripped, bleached and refinished (a messy and expensive process with sometimes disappointing results). The last option would be to refinish the cabinets, either by painting or staining, which can be the most cost-effective of all, and offers the best return on your investment. Cabinet Refacing In refacing, your service professional will remove cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware. A thin coat—generally about 1/4-inch—of wood is then...
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Turn your garden cuttings into artful arrangements
2008-03-28 09:33:00
I’m always puzzled when I visit a home with a garden and find a vase of store-bought flowers on the table. No matter how small the garden, in most weeks of the year, there’s something out there to clip and bring into the house for arrangements. The other night I was at a friend’s house, and she’d lined the center of her dining table with hot-pink and orange roses loosely bunched in a variety of silver bowls and vases. Just outside her windows were the rose bushes the flowers had been cut from, so her guests felt surrounded by the vivid, voluptuous blooms. This is flower arranging from the garden at its most luxuriant. I encourage you to go out into your garden early in the morning and just look around. See what’s prettiest and freshest, what most appeals to you — leaves, berries, buds or flowers. Don’t overlook blades and blooms of ornamental grasses, vegetables, emerging bamboo shoots. Everything out there is fodder for arrangements, and the wa...
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Remove the clutter to help sell your home
2008-03-18 14:29:00
Getting ready to sell your home can be one of the most stressful times of your life, but it does not have to be. Keeping in mind some key advice will help you get your house looking top shape from the inside and out. Throughout the process, the best way to go through your to-do list is to accept the fact that you can only do one thing at a time. With this perspective, all of the pieces will fall into just the right places. Getting your house decluttered will help you clear your own mind and get you ready for the prospective buyers to start coming. The best way to get organised is to try to see your house through new eyes. When you pretend like you are the one who is considering buying your home, you can better see the areas which need improvement. Take a clipboard and pen with you as you survey from the outside to the inside. Write down everything which disturbs your eye for even a moment. Chances are that if you notice something that does not look right, your potential buyers will,...
More About: Home , Sell , Clutter

How to use mirrors in your home
2008-03-14 09:45:00
It occurred to me as I was going over a bunch of old images, that I use mirrors a lot in my work. This is not by any means a deliberate decision, but is more of an intuitive one. So I thought today, I would put some thoughts down about ways you may want to consider using mirror to create a more dynamic room. First of all, be sure that you have something to reflect. Try sitting or standing in the spot that benefits most from the mirror’s reflection, and see what you see. Hopefully, it will be a view to a window or a vista through the house, not a direct shot at the Powder Room. If the spot that you deem for your mirror has an unfortunate view, but you are determined that is still the location, consider an antiqued mirror, it will break up the view but still throw some nice light around the room. Another way to break up a less than ideal view in your reflection is to use a collection of mirrors, like I did in the image above, that will also help with your problem. Treat ...
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How to prevent your cat from scratching your furniture?
2008-03-12 22:02:00
You love your cat, but you love your furniture too. Can your cat and your furniture peacefully coexist? Absolutely! It just takes some understanding and a little bit of your time. To understand why cats claw up the furniture, you have to understand why cats scratch. Scratching is a combination of exercise, stretching, sharpening of claws, and marking of territory. To a cat, the corner of the sofa is the perfect spot to do what comes naturally; it’s high, sturdy, and scratch -able. In short, your cat scratches your furniture because it doesn’t have any furniture of its own to scratch. To go about its work, your cat needs a scratching post that is acceptable to her, she has to know that the scratching post belongs to her, and she has to know that using the scratching post pleases you. Merely providing a scratching post isn’t enough to save your sofa. An acceptable scratching post is tall and sturdy. Just like the corner of the couch, the post should be tall enough t...
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Your Garden Lights and Illuminations
2008-03-10 16:39:00
What ever happened to the lazy days of summer? This year my schedule has been crazier than ever. It seems I’m on the run from the moment I finish my first cup of morning coffee until well after dusk. I feel like the Greek mythological character Sisyphus rolling that rock up the hill. I don’t have time to recognize any of my accomplishments before I’m on to the next project. I’m sure there are many of you who can relate! Recently, I was rushing home after an early evening appointment and passed a street cafe setting up for the dinner crowd. I glanced over just as the waiter plugged in a string of lights and the place just came alive. I imagined laughter, conversation and cheer filling the cafe and thought to myself, I need to have more fun and rejoice in my garden and make this the summer of celebrations. To kick off the new plan I took my cue from the street cafe and set up a festive area in my garden that glitters with lights at night. I already had some ...
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Summer Decorating Ideas
2008-03-07 09:44:00
I had some time on my hands the other day and decided to wade through my “Decorating Ideas ” file. Well, it was so big that I killed all that time just wading through it all, and never got to do any decorating at all. I did get rid of most of what was in the file, since some of the ideas were a little old and wrong for the season. Then I decided to embark on a search for some cool new decorating projects and ideas that I might get around to this summer, if I’m ever lucky enough to get some free time again. Summer decorating is a wonderful time to lighten up the colors and fabrics in your home. While you may not be able to decorate every room, there are numerous ways to add summer flair. You can decorate with a summer theme such as fruit (apples, strawberries, grapes), flowers (roses, carnations, daisies), or seaside nautical in addition to following some of the ideas listed below. Replace heavy drapery with light sheers. The sheers provide an airy appeal while lett...

Creating your own Herb Garden
2008-03-04 13:56:00
The first thing you will want to do is plan your herb garden. An easy way to do this is to make a numbered list on paper of the herb plants that you want to include. Then, beside or below the list make a quick sketch of the area that you will be planting. Now it is a simple matter of arranging the plants within the sketch. Draw a circle and place the number from your list inside to indicate which plant goes where. Important considerations when choosing the herbs you want to plant is the size and growth habits of the various herbs you’ve chosen. For instance, mints are taller and tend to be intrusive making it wise to contain them in a separate garden area or plant them within a container dug into the garden. Thyme makes a terrific border plant since it is a lower growing plant with a tendency to spread. Generally, taller plants should be placed toward the back of the garden and shorter ones in front. Herb s can be annuals, perennials or biennials. It may benefit you to separa...
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How to make your Kitchen more Organic, Green & Environmentally Friendly
2008-03-02 02:42:00
Pesticides in your produce, carcinogens in your cookware, arsenic in your agua—it’s enough to make you lose, well, your appetite. But the kitchen doesn’t have to be a source of despair. Follow these simple tips, and you can eat, drink, and be merry in the healthiest possible way. Tips for becoming a greener gourmet 1. Eat your organic veggies. Eating organic food is the best way to weed herbicides and pesticides from your diet. Confused about where to start? Some foods with the highest levels of pesticide residues include milk, apples, potatoes, and ketchup. Rinsing produce carefully is a good way to get rid of dirt and bacteria—you can use water or make your own veggie wash—but since it won’t remove persistent chemicals, peeling conventional produce is also wise. 2. Drink it up. Bottled water may be tempting with its allure of purity, but in truth, it’s usually no better—and can often be worse—than the stuff that comes straight out of the tap. Have your tap wa...
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Grow your own Organic Food
2008-03-01 08:03:00
With the price of food going up, and all the chemicals and preservatives that are being put onto crops, more and more people are justifiably cautious about what they eat, and as a consequence of this are increasingly turning to organic produce for its numerous health benefits. The problem with organic food is that it is considerably more expensive than the alternative, so for anyone who wants to feed the best quality food to their family, the bill for groceries is going to be a lot higher than those who don’t. The only alternative for people is to grow their own food, and this needn’t be as hard or time consuming as you might think. The fact is, that if you have a garden, you can start to grow at least some parts of your food yourself, and enjoy the benefits of knowing where it came from, what was used in producing it, and of course, save a great deal of money on it all. The first stage in growing your own food is to select an area of your garden that you will give over to food....
More About: Food , Organic food , Organic , Grow

Storing Your Kitchen Knives
2008-02-29 09:25:00
The simplest thing you can do to take care of your kitchen knives and promote food safety in your kitchen is to dry your knives before storing them. Never stick your newly-washed, still-dripping knives into the knife block. Can you imagine what microbes thrive inside those dark crevices inside the knife block? Don’t encourage their growth by providing them with moisture. Always dry your knives first. Air-drying with points down is the safest way to do it.
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How To Clean Your House The ECO Friendly Way
2008-02-28 22:52:00
Clean Your House the ECO friendly way. We are going to show you how to clean your house using everyday, non toxic products that you may already have in the kitchen cupboard. Safer to use, cheaper to buy and kinder to the planet. You Will Need lemon juice salt bicarbonate of soda vinegar water Step 1: To clean your house using everyday, non toxic products you can use. Step 2: Freshen Rooms Ditch the air freshener and open a window instead. It’s free, far more effective and doesn’t fill your room with a toxic soup. Step 3: Carpets To freshen carpets, sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda before you vacuum. This will remove odours and may help lift stains. Step 4: Surfaces Lemons have natural bleaching, deodorizing and antibacterial properties. Make an effective multipurpose cleaner by mixing one part lemon juice with three parts water and store in a spray bottle. Don’t forget to label it correctly. Simply spray it on and wipe off with a cloth. Step 5: The Kitchen Bicar...
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Organic Composting with Worms
2008-02-08 10:24:00
Compost is basically organic matter that is allowed to decay with time and is then put back into the soil as it has a lot of nutrient value and helps in the growth of plants. Composting is also the ideal method of dealing with your kitchen waste. Up to 30% of household waste is organic and can be recycled. Anything that has lived and died can be composted, such as vegetable peelings, cooked food, tea leaves, coffee grounds, garden waste, packaging waste such as cardboard, even dust from your vacuum. If you want to be an organic gardener who is successful then you must learn the benefits of compost. Compost is very useful as it helps in improving the texture and fertility of soil and planting beds and it is a very essential constituent of potting soils and greenhouse. It nutritive value is mainly dependent on the nutrient-containing materials and fertilizers that are added to the piles in the process of decomposition. However if all you want to be is more environmentally conscience a...
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Cast Iron Pans far better than Non-Stick!
2008-02-05 16:12:00
Have you ever cooked with a non-stick skillet and had the non-stick surface flake off after a few months? That super slick surface is made up of many harmful chemicals that should absolutely not be eaten! What’s the alternative to cheap-o, toxic frying pans? Your grandma’s grandma had the secret in her kitchen — Cast Iron ! You might be thinking ‘Hey, isn’t cast iron archaic cookware from the pioneer days?’. Well, yeah, but they had the right idea, cook with heavily oiled metal and never have nasty non-stick chemicals peeling off into your food. Cast iron cookware has been used for generations because it literally lasts that long! It’s also fully recyclable, since it’s one big hunk of iron which can be melted down by a scrap yard. You can nab a high quality cast iron skillet for under £20 and it will probably have at least a 10-year warranty. What other frying pan can top that? Another tip is to use a touch of washing up liquid to clean al...
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Purchasing an Environmentally Friendly Home
2008-02-01 09:21:00
You saw Al Gore’s movie and you became motivated. Now you own a hybrid car. And you bike and walk whenever possible to avoid burning fossil fuels. You are also doing whatever you feel you can do to reduce your energy footprint. You wonder: what more can you do? One answer is you can buy a green home. Not a home painted green, but one that is environmentally sensitive. The so-called “green” building market is by all accounts hot and only getting hotter. More and more often, people want homes that are less taxing on the environment. If you are inclined to march to the beat of the eco-drummer when it comes to your new home purchase, here are tips that you can look out for to know if you are getting the real deal. Tip 1. Look for a recognised certification indicating that the builder is environmentally responsible.   All independent certification organisations have rigorous standards for attesting to the environmental worthiness of an organization. See if your build...
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Homeowners ‘adding value’ with DIY
2008-01-31 17:54:00
Whereas once they would have relaxed after finally getting a foot on the property ladder, first-time buyers are now looking to boost the value of their homes straightaway in order to move up the rungs, it has been claimed. Neil Simpson of Thisismoney.co.uk has said that new property owners are increasingly using additional borrowing to fund value-enhancing home improvements, adding that the traditional method of borrowing extra on a mortgage may not be the best option. Although research from Moneyextra.com yesterday revealed that Brits are remortgaging their homes to release more money than ever before, using a mortgage loan to pay for home improvements may soon become unpopular as the fees charged to extend an existing deal continue to increase, Mr Simpson states. Extra mortgage borrowing can also be potentially hazardous as there is a chance the homeowner will “forget about the new debt”, meaning that taking a personal loan could prove to be a much better choice. &ldqu...
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Minimalism Interior Design
2008-01-18 11:05:00
If you’re trying to find just the right look for a small space, try home improvements with the minimalist look in mind where the focus is on less over more. Minimalist style is a simplistic style where you basically have only a few pieces of accents without a lot of color. Now minimalism doesn’t mean boring. On the contrary, it can be very much the modern way to go or it can be retro. Born out of the post World War II Minimalist Movement in some other art forms, the minimalist style is for those who are said to see their homes as they would see an oasis of order amidst a world of chaos and clutter. However, note that Minimalist decorating is not basics, stripped down. It just means that there will be a purpose for each item you choose. And with Minimalist home improvements, there will be an overall good feel in the area with orderliness, clean cut lines, order, no waste needless frivolous adornments. This means: - No powerful bursts of color. - Wall colors are generally ...
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Are we becoming eco-friendly?
2008-01-16 13:53:00
From recycling to eco-friendly products, being environmentally friendly is the new trend, yet it seems Brits are shirking responsibility when it comes to being energy efficient. A study, by price comparison website moneysupermarket.com, reveals almost three quarters of Brits think manufacturers should be responsible for providing energy-efficient products to the consumer. Switch to a better energy deal and start saving money A further 53 per cent believe the Government should force manufacturers to help us become more energy efficient. Interestingly, it is the older generation which believes people should take more responsibility for being energy efficient, with 49 per cent of those aged 50-54 saying responsibility lies at the consumer’s doorstep. Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Global warming is a problem that isn’t going to go away, so as a nation we all need to take responsibility for saving and conserving energy to help the environment. â€...
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Eco-friendly Cookware
2008-01-15 09:39:00
A former fireman from the USA, Daniel John Repetti, believes he has found a way to help save energy through a unique design for cookware. As a firefighter, he has had plenty of experience dealing with heat, although his idea for redesigning cookware struck him only recently during his birthday party last year. He was watching the barbeque and realized that the grill with the top down kept heat in and saved energy. “I thought it was too bad that we didn’t have something like that for the stovetop,” he said. “Then I thought maybe you could put a cone on top of the pot to keep the heat in. But that wouldn’t work because the heat would slip away any time you lifted it off to stir or check on the contents. Then I thought, what if you put something on the side?” He imagined a kind of metal skirt with the bottom open to be fit around the belly of the pot, capturing all the heat that is lost along the sides of a pot while being heated on the stove. &ldqu...
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Find a colour scheme fpr your home
2008-01-13 10:13:00
Looking for an easy colour scheme? One-colour schemes may be for you. Find our top picks for some of the most liveable colour schemes for your home. 1. Black and White Always a classic, black and white looks crisp, clean, and classy. Think black and white checkerboard floors, black furniture against white walls, or black striped drapes against a wall of red. 2. Blue and White Soothing and serene, blue and white reminds us of lakes, sky, and sea. The look of blue and white can be interpreted in a nautical theme, spa-like sophistication, or in a formal French toile. Pastel robin’s egg blue is pretty when applied to the wall, while deeper tones of navy are perfect for upholstery. 3. Red and White A red and white scheme is often used for patterned toiles and checks. However, this is only one use of the scheme. Themed decor with strawberries or apple motifs can also be done in red and white. For a contemporary look try red and white with small touches of another dramatic colour lik...
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