Home Decor Style Blog

Here’s a handy home maintenance checklist for this fall. It includes some items most homeowners tend to overlook. For your convenience, print this out and keep it where you will see it.

• The furnace filter should be replaced every three months. An easy way to remember this is to perform the inspection on the first day of spring, summer, fall, and winter. Or the first of each quarter (January, April, July, October).
• Inspect the ducts, filters, and heating equipment. It may be best to clean and vacuum vents, ducts, and other heating components. Use a certified HVAC professional, if necessary. Many offer discount specials during the fall season.
• Open and close the fireplace damper to ensure that it is operating correctly.
• Clean the fireplace of ashes if you have not done this since last winter. A good New Years Resolution would be to always clean the ashes in a timely fashion.
• Clean the interior of the chimney. Don’t want to get covered with soot? Leave the dirty work to a chimneysweep. If you can’t get Mary Poppins, try the yellow pages.
• Install a top screen on your chimney to keep out debris and animals. Even raccoons have been known to fall down chimneys!
• Check the levels of your propane or oil tanks. You will most likely need to replenish the supply.
• Inspect and repair all pipes. To prevent freezing problems in colder climates, drain and shut off the outside faucets.
• Clean gutters and downspouts. You don’t want little “trees” growing in your gutters next spring.
• Inspect the roof for loose shingles. Hint: If you have some extra roof shingles left over from your roofing job, immediately store a few in a not too noticeable area outside where they will be exposed to the elements. They will weather along with your roof shingles, and if you do need to replace an occasional shingle in the future, they will blend in very nicely with the rest of the roof
• Check for leaks around roof vents, skylights, and chimneys. You may want to hire this out to a professional who is properly certified and insured.
• Pressure wash and seal the deck. One coat should be sufficient.
• Check for cracks in concrete and seal appropriately.
• Inspect your foundation walls and seal any small openings. It’s amazing how rodents and insects can squeeze through even the smallest holes, especially those where pipes or wires enter the house. Proper sealing also protects against moisture damage and heat loss.
• Protect outdoor items such as patio furniture, grills, and hoses. The best protection is inside storage in a basement, garage, or shed. If this is not possible, wrap or cover them securely. Remember to drain the hoses first.

---

We are pleased to provide you with this short checklist of autumn maintenance. Please visit us for more information at http://www.tuscanyhomesllc.com . We are one of Atlanta’s fastest-growing custom contractors and renovators.

No comments »

Copyright © 2008 Virginia Ginsburg

A common nickname for environmentalists and people who are working towards being “green” is “Tree Hugger,” suggesting a love of all things natural. With green products swiftly making their way into mainstream consumer products, icons of trees and leaves can be seen everywhere as symbols of environmentally-conscious products.

But you may be surprised at how you can directly impact trees when you make green purchases. Scientists estimate that we are losing more than 137 species of plants and animals every day due to rainforest deforestation. This deforestation is happening partly to support the furniture market. Tropical hardwoods like teak, mahogany, rosewood and many other timbers used for furniture and other wood products are in high demand even as their supply dwindles.

In addition to deforestation, the furniture industry is a heavy user of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), which are found in almost all finishes and paints. Conventional lacquer is one of the most hazardous in terms of VOC emissions. Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and particle board, which are typically used in less-expensive furniture construction, commonly contain the carcinogens urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde.

In response to the dangers posed on a global and local scale, a non-profit industry association called the Sustainable Furnishings Council was formed in 2006 to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers and consumers. The organization is leading the charge to raise awareness of the sustainability issue in furniture and construction by assisting companies in adopting good practices and helping consumers become more educated about the issues at hand.

Members of the association take steps to accomplish the following:

1. Minimize carbon emissions
2. Minimize waste stream pollutants
3. Avoid using un-recyclable content
4. Avoid using primary materials from unsustainable sources

Next time you are in the market for wood products, consider the following guidelines:

1. Where does the wood come from?

You want to look for wood that has been legally harvested from responsibly-managed forests. Whenever possible, look for reclaimed or recycled woods. Also available are a number of fast-growing woods, including bamboo, which are neither threatened nor threaten other species in production.

2. Is the wood certified by a third party?

In addition to the Sustainable Furnishings Council, you can look for certification from other third-parties including the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

3. Is the manufacturer working to reduce energy use?

In addition to the actual manufacturing energy cost, consider the distance that your wood has traveled. Cargo ships have become one of the nation’s leading sources of air pollution, threatening the health of millions of people.

4. Where was the furniture made?

Look for products that were made close to your home and sourced from raw materials from within 500 miles. This will reduce the distance traveled and also support grassroots initiatives that are working to improve the sustainable furniture industry as a whole.

5. Were any high Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) finishes used to create the product?

Varnishes and lacquers are the most common offenders, but many paints also contain high levels of VOCs. Look for water-based finishes that have low or no VOCs.

Supporting sustainable furnishings will make a big impact on the interior of your home’s health as well as the world as a whole. Another benefit is that many of the sustainable furniture products are beautifully crafted. You can find an extensive list of options at http://www.greenpeople.org/Furnishing.html.

Sustainable furniture may also have some interesting stories associated with it. For example, one company is currently advertising products made of Douglas Fir that was deconstructed from warehouses at the Alameda Naval Air Station and Redwood from decommissioned water tanks at Camp Pendleton. Thus, in addition to getting beautiful sustainable furniture, you are getting a little bit of history, too.

---

Virginia Ginsburg writes about sustainable products, green living, and her quest for a socially-conscious lifestyle. She is founder of Green Baby Gifts (http://www.greenbabygiftsonline.com), which offers beautifully-wrapped baby gifts made of bamboo fiber and packaged in completely recycled and recyclable packaging.

No comments »

Grace your walls with Tapestry wall hangings. Their exquisite style and design will fill you with their vibrancy of a rich and wonderful art form. They tend to sharpen the acoustics of a room and have a dimensional texture that enchants the viewer. It creates a unique flavor and spirit of art to the walls.

Woven tapestry art is one of the most effective forms of literary expression. From the Odyssey to the Iliad as well as the Old and New Testament. It is more intellectual, abstract and scientific with the precision of method and creativity. It can transform your walls with a unique decor and statement. Your walls become a beautiful place of visual warmth and elegance.

Tapestries had a functional use providing insulation, cover openings, hide unsightly blemishes and giving privacy around beds. For centuries people have used them to decorate their homes and today the trend continues. It lends your interiors an air of sophistication and charm.

It was once a symbol of prestige. Only the wealthy and honorable adorned them. In today’s world it can help relieve stress from our busy life style. It seems, to a viewer, to transport them to another less hectic time. It encourages reflective and tranquil moments and can be a great subject of conversation.

You can find tapestry wall hangings in a rich array of beautiful colors, fabrics, styles, designs, shapes and sizes, for any decor imaginable, such as classic, traditional, historical, medieval, and contemporary. Some of the materials that are common are cotton, wool, silk, chenille, linen and these sometimes include gold or other precious metal strands. For the design enthusiast there are nature scenes, floral patterns, fruit, wildlife, country, lighthouses, golf, patriotic, world maps, just for kids and cute sayings. All their themes reflect the lives we live today. Most are open, expansive, creative and spiritual.

In older times these pieces of art were hand crafted by craftsman and artisans. Today most of them are produced by machines and instruments that cut the construction time in half. If you look hard and long enough you can still locate hand made displays.

The best examples of tapestry art often use traditional materials and weaving techniques. In the medieval era they were made out of wool. Wool is a strong durable material and provides a strong basis for applying dyes and pigments. Chenille is a popular choice for modern times. It is flexible and soft, but is still adaptable. This material also seems to warm the room and make it feel cozy and comfortable.

There are companies you can submit a picture or art form that you would like replicated into a tapestry. Most of these companies will analyze it and let you know if it can be done successfully and the best size to make it in. There are many well know artists that are licensing their artwork to be made into tapestries. You can also purchase tapestries unfinished right off the loom for framing.

Furnishings that would seem bland come alive when complimented with a tapestry wall hanging. They give your living space individuality, personality and charm.

For a small room you might decide on a city, land or seascape design. This would definitely bring a breath of fresh air into the room. Or you might choose a horizontal shape. This adds length and gives an illusion of added space. If your room is large, try adding a series of smaller tapestries together. This will create the illusion of a smaller area.

Be selective when you choose the rods and hardware for hanging. Some companies will not charge you extra for these items when you purchase your tapestry. There are a large array of rods, finials and tassels to help you finish your piece.

Tapestries usually arrive with a three to four inch pocket sewn on the revere side for hanging. They may be hung with either a metal adjustable rod or custom cut wood with wall brackets. Each type comes with a pair of finials on each end. For an added touch a luxurious colorful satin or rayon tassel can be placed between the end of the hanging and the start of the decorator finial.

As you begin your endeavor make certain that you capture your personality in an exceptional display that will mystify and highlight your decor.

---

Barbara Tobiasz resides in the Chicago area and studied at the Art Institute. She has consulted and volunteered her services for many organizations with her creative expressions in the interior design field. Her hobbies include reading, taking long walks with her dog and working her magic turning ordinary rooms into creative works of art. For more information on Tapestries, go to: http://www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com

No comments »