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| How to Avoid the Seven Sins: Take note to the tips below on what to avoid when working on design elements for your home. Whether you are working on your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or main living area, the basic principles of what to avoid do not waiver. |
| High art: We’re not talking about art that is unusually thought-provoking. We mean art that’s literally floating out in that void somewhere high above the sofa. Art should relate to the furniture below it. A rule of interior design is to separate artwork and furniture by no more than 10 inches. |
| Matchy-matchy décor: When everything matches, the room becomes so safe that it’s boring. Buying a suite of furniture of the same design went out decades ago. And although many fabric and wallpaper manufacturers offer coordinated patterns to simplify design for the do-it-yourselfer, use those coordinates as a background for something old, something personal, something that makes the room your own. |
| Armchair covers: Armchair covers are dinosaurs — they’re akin to leaving cellophane on lampshades. Today, fabrics can be treated for durability and stain resistance. Whip the covers off and take them along to remind you of the color and pattern when shopping for other fabrics and accessories for the room. And don’t dare put them back when you’re done. |
| Wimpy houseplants: Sure it’s fine to show off your green thumb inside the house. Just don’t scatter too many small houseplants around the room. They’ll have much more effect if you bank three to five small plants together, or buy one large-scale plant that makes a bold statement (and doesn’t have to be watered as often). |
| Silk flowers: Silk flowers can surely be beautiful, but they may also become dust traps. And if the arrangement never changes, eventually you reach the point where you don’t even see it anymore. Either update your silk designs regularly, or make your own simple arrangements with inexpensive fresh flowers or greenery from the backyard. |
| Unedited accessories: We are all natural-born collectors. The trick is realizing that every object, gift, or family treasure need not be displayed at once. Take care of Aunt Martha’s cranberry compote, but tuck it away until the next family gathering. Organize accessories by grouping collections together on a table or shelf. Use similar objects and colors together, and remember that using odd numbers of items looks better to the eye. |
| Family portraits in the living room: We may be treading on hallowed ground here, but the point is this: Contemporary paintings of the family can lend an imposing, elitist air to the room where you most often receive guests. Save portraits for the bedroom or spaces that are reserved for family. |
| The blog post was provided by your Online Interior Designers at Platinum eDesign of Hickory, NC. |
Guide To Green HVAC
Environment has been constantly the victim right from the time innovation came into existence trading annihilation of ecological objects for our personal gain and survival. So the question remains as to how to salvage of what remains?
So What is Considered a Green HVAC?
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning trade has seen a steady growth now for years improvising the ecological augmentation with innovative technologies and materials. Green HVAC is promoted by LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by way of conserving energy, saving water, and materials consumed or wasted. Reduction of toxic by products still remains a concern particularly with systems circulating air throughout buildings. The Energy Star Heating and Cooling Device satisfies the criteria set by the American standards making it ideal for installation in average homes and small buildings.
But Then Why Green HVAC?
Green HVAC a relatively novel business endeavor is growing steadily with new buildings in an effort to save energy and cost cutting purposes. Not to mention benefitting from tax exemptions upon installation.
A Quick Look Into the Options and Benefits
The options are aplenty for the adventurous industrialist with the industry growing rapidly, particularly for people in real estate. Few examples would blue roofs that harvest rainwater for cooling, energy and recreation. Installation of carbon dioxide sensors can sustain optimum ventilation in a building. Solar panels a well established know-how is anticipated to supply around 200,000 homes in Australia with electricity on completion.
Installation of energy-efficient HVAC arrangement is being endorsed by building owners open to rebooting their existing HVAC systems. The chiller boiler is a good example and acts like gingerbread house gears for Green HVAC. These systems act efficiently by using water as opposed to air in modulating temperature and be installed as a pre-engineered and mechanic-friendly pack.
Risks Versus Benefits
New equipments are prone to having blips, but experienced organizations are very much up-to-date and familiar with green technology. After all our old friends, elbow grease and duct tape know exactly how to fix these kinks.
Blog Post provided by: HVAC Service Marietta GA
All You Need To Know About HVAC
Innovative architecture adopts practical and convenient ideology, designs and applications creating intellectual buildings by way of energy and light being conserved via meticulously planned wiring, electronics, furniture, and gears. A contemporary office premise or home is economically and suitably heated, ventilated and air-conditioned creating its own climate in accordance with its inhabitants’ comfort. This insight in design is made possible by systematic brainstorming and execution of HVAC – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ideology.
As a home owner one of the huge purchases that you would indulge in is the heating and cooling system. Save a few dollar bills by researching for available discounts on the Energy Star certified heating and cooling equipment. This is believed to strictly meet the energy competent strategies set by the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) offering sizeable long–lasting energy savings. HVAC contractors will guide you through the savings calculation for Energy Star heating and cooling system.
On planning a new construction, it would be ideal to have a licensed HVAC contractor appraise the blueprint prior to beginning the construction. This enables him to execute his ideas from the start rendering huge savings in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning expense. Then again, brining him post construction would be limited by the mansion’s structure.
Desiring a modification in the HVAC system may work out costly, but then it becomes necessary particularly in restoring buildings like museums that nestles priceless work of art. Maintaining temperature is imperative in perpetuating sculptures, paintings, and manuscripts. Hiring a special HVAC team with expertise in art conservation would yield best results.
A well certified HVAC contractor would always be preferred, while making a choice albeit being expensive to hire them, but you may rest assured in terms of quality and competent HVAC systems. Where there is convenience and comfort involved in the long run, it is ideal to invest right from the start. Nevertheless, it turns out truly rewarding in terms of repair bills and conserving energy.
Blog Post provided by: Alpharetta HVAC Service
Wouldn’t it be great if you could walk out into a bug free backyard during the late spring and summer time? Mosquitoes and other annoying pests can present quite a problem during the time when most of us want to enjoy our yards, pools and other landscape features. We are outside with our significant other; our kids, family, invited guests and the ravaging mosquitoes ruin the party. If your home is located near a pond or a lake the mosquito problem can become quite severe during the warmest months of the year.
Today, there are great options to control and even eliminate most of the mosquitoes and other annoying insects in your yard. One option is having your yard sprayed by a qualified mosquito control company. Typically, a one-time spraying can help eliminate mosquitoes and other pest for as long as 3 weeks to a month. If you are hosting a wedding, a big pool party or barbeque, having your yard sprayed is an excellent idea.
Another option is install a permanent mosquito control solution. A permanent mosquito control solution should be installed by a qualified professional. These mosquito misting systems will deliver an insecticide periodically and most of the time, a mosquito misting system will effectively eliminate the mosquito problem from your yard.
Are you are staying indoors because mosquitoes have taken over your yard? If so, help is available… look on-line to find a qualified mosquito control company in your area and ask about the temporary or permanent mosquito control solutions that they offer.
Landscaping With Beautiful Stones
Natural stones make an exquisite, low maintenance landscape. Incorporating stones offers a complete look to any landscape design. You can use cobblestones or flagstones for walkways, thick stones for holding walls and decorative stones for water gardens and rock gardens. Stone fountains offer a simple and cost effective way to decorate your landscape.
Granite, limestone, slate, sandstone and marble are most commonly used to decorate landscape. You can use granite stones for walls and garden stepping stones. Garden stepping stones are great to build paths throughout your yard. You can use them in mulched or unmulched planting beds and lawns. Paving garden stones in lawn prevents foot traffic and helps your lawn to grow well. The garden stepping stones are usually round or square in shape. You can also get stones in irregular shapes that offer a contemporary look to your landscape.
You can use river bed pebbles to add elegance to your landscape. These pebbles are available in various colors, shapes and textures. Off-white, gray, pink, green and brown are the most common color pebbles available in the market. You can use river bed pebbles to make decorative borders, ground cover and soil covering. They enhance the charm of water features in the garden.
Cobble stones are natural stones that not only enhance the appearance of the landscape, but also increase the safety. They are non-slip and require no maintenance. You can mix them with flagstones and use to make attractive borders. There are many types of cobblestones like granite cobbles, slate cobbles and limestone cobbles. The color of the cobble stone vary according to its type. For instance, granite cobbles are available in pink, maroon, black and red, while limestone cobbles are available in kotah blue and brown. You can choose the type that matches the color theme of your landscape. They are available in different sizes and you can pick the size that suits your landscaping project.
Blog Post provided by: Peachtree City GA Landscapers
Lawn care advice to get a lovely lawn
A lush, beautiful lawn not only enhances the appearance of your landscape, but it also serves as an excellent kids’ play area. It serves as a picturesque backdrop for the flowering plants, shrubs and decorative plants. Caring for your lawn can help you to enjoy a soft and healthy lawn throughout the year.
Soil preparation is the most important step in lawn care. You need to test the pH level of the soil. Turf grows well in soil that has the pH level between 6 and 7. If your soil is low in pH level, you need to make some adjustments like adding lime to soil. You can then apply seed or sod. You need to distribute the lawn seed evenly throughout the soil. You can then cover the seed with a bale of straw to keep the moisture in the soil. It takes at least ten days for the seeds to germinate. You need not remove the straw, as the decaying straw can help to replenish the nitrogen content in the soil.
Watering the lawn is an important process, as it helps the grass to remain green. Insufficient watering can make the lawn more susceptible to weeds. Generally, a lawn requires half to one inch of water every week to remain healthy and vibrant. It is advisable to water your lawn in the early morning. Watering lawns during mid day can reduce the amount of water absorbed by the grass roots and watering your lawn late evening can lead to fungus buildup.
Mowing your lawn is another important process that helps to improve the overall health and appearance of lawn. Mowing height depends upon the type of grass you have. However, the thumb rule in lawn mowing is not to remove more than one third of the grass.
Blog Post provided by: Gwinnett County Landscapers
Helpful Garden Insects
Not all bugs are bad!! There are many insects that are helpful to your landscape care. Certain insects deter the bad insects from destroying your plants and they can also increase pollination. Before you go squashing those little critters read on and see why you should keep them around.
Dragonflies are great to have on your property! They eat about 600 insects such as gnats, flies and mosquitoes per day! They normally live near water areas and can survive up to 2 months. Ponds will attract dragonflies as well as frogs that will feed on mosquitoes.
Lady Bugs eat about 400 aphids, mites and scales per day. They are said to be “good luck” if you believe in luck! Pollen producing flowering plants will attract lady bugs.
Spiders feed on as many as 2,000 insects per year such as grasshoppers, crickets, flies, bees, moths. They are not so creepy after all!
Beetles come in many different species. They usually hide during the day in dark cool places and feed on small insects at night. They are attracted to light so you may find them creeping into your home at night! Just shoo them out to do their work!
Green Lacewings are very helpful. They eat Aphids, mealybugs, scales, spider mites, thripes, and white flies.
Hover Flies look like small wasps but eat fruit tree spider mites, green flies and caterpillars.
Educate yourself on the larva and eggs of these good insects. Plant some plants that will attract them and carefully plan your pest control based on keeping your good guys naturally on your property.
Blog Post provided by: Marietta GA Landscapers
Fertilizer Numbers
What do the numbers on fertilizer bags mean??
These numbers are the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium respectively that are contained in the fertilizer mix. These are the major nutrients needed for healthy soil and plant growth. For example: 18-24-6 means it contains 18% Nitrogen, 24% Phosphate and 6% Potassium – a typical lawn care fertilizer. The fertilizer you choose should be based on what results you want to achieve.
Nitrogen is a building block for protein. It promotes plant growth and helps the plant have a rich green color because hit assists in the production of chlorophyll. The more nitrogen your fertilizer has, the faster it will grow and greener it will be.
Phosphate helps in the formation and growth of roots and cell division. It is advisable to use a fertilizer a good percentage of phosphate when you first plant your tree, plants, flowers or a new lawn.
Potassium is necessary for photosynthesis. It helps strengthen plants against cold and disease. Potassium also promotes healthy roots and fruit formation. Potassium is important as you are going into the winter months!!
When you are choosing a fertilizer, consider what your plant is lacking or how you would like it to look. Then choose the number combination that best fits your needs. You can also get your soil tested by your county extension office. This may be free, but there may also be a nominal fee. This will determine what nutrients are lacking in your soil.
Lastly, too much fertilizer can be harmful to your plants and even cause them to die. Read your labels carefully and follow the recommendations on the label.
Blog Post provided by: Alpharetta GA Lawn Care Specialist
Magnolia Trees
With over 80 species of Magnolia trees in the Eastern United States and Southeast Asia, the Southern Magnolia is the one most popular native trees in the Southeast US and is the state tree of Mississippi.
The Southern Magnolia is known for its beautifully fragrant large white flowers, its cone shape and its dense verdant leaf structure. Another likable factor of the Magnolia tree is its resistance to pests. It is not bothered by many insects and proper pruning and maintenance will usually take care of diseased branches, leaf spots, mildews or scabs.
The Magnolia tree provides a tremendous amount of shade. Many times these trees are positioned in the landscape design to create a screen or border. Plan carefully when choosing a space to plant your Magnolia tree. A mature tree can reach up to 60 to 80 feet high with very wide base. The tree is relatively easy to grow and maintain. It is drought resistant and as an evergreen, it does not loose its leaves in the winter so it is beautiful year round.
The Magnolia tree gives hardy shelter to birds and animals during cold winter months. The seeds and surrounding aril of the magnolia provide a good source of fat and energy for migrating animals. One unique feature of the Magnolia is that it is pollinated primarily by beetles not by typical birds, bees or butterflies!
The “Grand Dame of the South” has graced its’ admires with beauty, shade and inspiration for hundreds of years. Many artists have painted these awesome trees and their beautiful flowers and many poems and stories have been written about their exquisite beauty.
Blog Post provided by: Alpharetta GA Landscapers
The advantages of Sewer and Septic
Have you ever wondered how you would live in your home without a sewer or septic system? Well, don’t even try to imagine because the result would be so horrifying to say the least. Well, a sewer and septic system are an integral part of any household.
One of the most important advantages of both sewer and septic is the fact that they dispose off the human waste out of the home in a systematic manner. Human waste is biodegradable in nature. However, this human waste has to be disposed out of the home in a proper manner as this human waste is nothing but the dirt coming out of the body. Sewer and septic systems make sure that this dirt does not spoil the home.
Another very important advantage of sewer and septic systems is the fact that it also disposes off all the other household waste out of the home. This waste mainly consists of all the waste water which is left over after washing the clothes, utensils, your home, and also all the left over water after the process of cooking. Another advantage of sewer and septic systems is that kitchen waste water as well as bathroom waste water can cause clogged pipes in your plumbing system. However, a sewer and septic system makes sure that this does not happen and disposes the waste in a very sophisticated manner.
These reasons are why it is very important to make sure that your sewage and septic system is maintained properly to avoid any unwanted problems in your home.
Blog Post provided by: Atlanta Sewer & Septic Plumbers
