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Decorating Guides

Slow Design: Today's 'Wabi-Sabi' Helps Us Savor the Moment

I have been examining the parallels between contemporary Western style and wabi-sabi, the early Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in things that are imperfect, impermanent and dated. We saw the way the philosophy paralleled modern layout and Arts and Crafts movements, as well as the Shaker.

Today wabi-sabi manifests itself at the Slow Design movement, founded in 2006 by Carolyn F. Strauss and Alastair Fuad-Luke to slow down the metabolism of people, resources and flows. Strauss and Fuad-Luke’s Slow Design manifesto urges designers to “fulfill real needs instead of transient trendy or market-driven needs” by producing moments to enjoy and appreciate together with the individual senses.

There’s also a push to design spaces for thinking, reacting, dreaming and musing. To put it differently, the idea adopts designing for people first and commercialization second, and it aims to balance the neighborhood with the global, the social together with the ecological — Overall, a transformation toward a much hierarchical method of living. This essentially mirrors the wabi-sabi strategy to style. Here are the six fundamentals of Slow Design.

Rama

1. Reveal. Uncover spaces and experiences in everyday life that are often forgotten or missed.

The manifesto urges people to “believe beyond perceived functionality, bodily traits and lifespans to think about artifacts’ real and potential ‘expressions'” This wall displaying artifacts is a good example. Dealing with materials is another.

Megan Buchanan

2. Expand. Slow design believes the real and possible “expressions” of artifacts and environments beyond their perceived functionalities, bodily attributes and life spans.

This principle asks designers to consider facets beyond aesthetics and shape, paying attention to the way we live and interact with spaces and objects. In their paper “Slow Design Principles,” Strauss and Fuad-Luke cite Swedish designer Ramiz Maze’s contention that “style isn’t only about the spatial or physical form of objects, but the form of interactions that take place — and also occupy time — in people’s relationships with and through [them].”

These stairs, that provide an enjoyable way for a child to learn to count, show this principle in action. The plan expands arrangement and more than just its structure.

Laidlaw Schultz architects

3. Reflect. Induce contemplation and “reflective ingestion”

“Product designers are questioning not only ecological values, but also perceptual and emotional experiences that the unique materiality of goods can provide,” Strauss and Fuad-Luke state. They encourage performers to emphasize ephemeral beauty that reminds us that everything is transient and short lived.

Strauss and Fuad-Luke cite Icelander Katrin Svana Eythórsdóttir’s biodegradable chandelier, made from highly reflective sugar droplets; it gradually disappears within months, “encouraging its owner(s) to relish each moment of its existence,” they say.

Waterfalls, like this one in Texas, are another means to take a reflective approach.

4. Engage. Share, collaborate and collaborate in an open-source layout process.

This home, by The Architects Collaborative, was designed following the group’s philosophy of camaraderie instead of hierarchy. Directed by Walter Gropius, eight architects’ team encouraged collaboration to produce the product.

Nowadays design charettes, in which several participants meet to brainstorm solutions to an architectural issue, are another example of cooperation.

Debra Kling Colour Consultant

5. Participate. Make everybody an active participant in the plan process.

Color consultant Debra Kling (whose job is shown here) is an advocate of the notion, and she constantly engages her customers in her designs. “Color consulting with my customers is always a very collaborative process,” she states.

Customers who participate in designing their homes normally get more pleasing outcomes.

Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..

6. Evolve. Look beyond current requirements and circumstances to consider how good Slow Design can attest positive change.

Strauss and Fuad-Luke cite architect and societal designer Fritz Haeg’s Edible Estates, in which conventional lawns are replaced with all productive domestic edible landscapes; the one here is a good example. Growing food instead of resource-intensive grass not only feeds households but addresses bigger problems of global food production also connects people with their surroundings and their communities.

On the most elementary level, planting a tree, that will provide shade, shelter and possibly food several years afterwards, is evolutionary.

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Coastal Style

A DIY Gold Mine at the Heart of Texas

French teacher, blogger and designer Camille Dickson is a DIY convert of the maximum order. There is barely a surface at the 1950s ranch home she shares with husband Kyle which they have not painted, scraped, re-surfaced or gutted themselves. “I guess if someone else could get it done for hire, we could do it for free,” she says. The home is a gold mine of home improvement inspiration, with jobs which range from a fully renovated kitchen and bath to an accent wall completely coated with book pages from a French study guide.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Camille and Kyle Dickson, their two kids and Boston terrier Rufus
Location: Abilene, Texas
Size: 2,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two baths

Sarah Greenman

A gallery wall consisting of nine frames showcases a map of Paris. Camille saw a large map costing over $1,000 at a favorite catalogue and produced a similar style for approximately $150 in her own living space using frames from Target.

Paint: Old Country Tan, Lowe’s

Sarah Greenman

A striking wall covered with book leaves greets visitors as they enter the home. “The pages are from books I had around the house,” Camille says. “Two were old French study guides; another two novels I have at Goodwill for about 50 cents each. I simply used my stapler from school to tack up the pages there.”

The piano, a present from Camille’s grandfather, is one of her precious possessions. “He gave it to our family when I was in third grade, and I took classes all of the way through high school,” she says. “I have lots of happy memories connected with it.”

Sarah Greenman

A gallery wall sets off a curated set of mementos and travel treasures in the foyer. “My personal style seems to be dictated by what I like at this time, and I feel that the things in your home should tell you and your family’s story,” Camille says. “Almost everything that’s on screen has some sort of significance behind it, if it be out of our journeys, a family heirloom or something that one of us has left. That’s in the root of the design philosophy.”

Table: Cost Plus World Market; side chairs: Thomasville

Sarah Greenman

The living room is a heavily textured and layered area achieved with time and patience. “We have lived here for almost 10 decades, and the home has slowly evolved to what you see now,” Camille says.

The dog mattress under the piano is from Holly Mathis Interiors. Mathis is a longtime friend of Camille’s, and also the design is named for Rufus, the Dicksons’ dog.

Coffee table: Overstock.com; place rug: Joss and Main

Sarah Greenman

A Boston terrier–print throw pillow onto a cornered slipper chair can also be a nod to Rufus. The table lamp is one of Camille’s DIY jobs; she gave the foundation an upgrade with silver spray paint.

Slipper seat: Overstock.com

Sarah Greenman

The French-inspired dining room is awash in light blue, softened with wheat-colored curtain panels and organic linen cushions embroidered with French words.

The table is from a regional antiques store and has been what Camille calls “a Marsha Brady yellow.” She gave the rounded ends a fast buzz using a circular saw, then stripped off the table and then stained it with Rust-Oleum Sunbleached Wood Stain. She subsequently painted the legs and apron white and sanded them down. Her cheap secret weapon for aging furniture: black and brown wax shoe polish.

Paint: Milk Pail, Home Depot; drapes: Ballard Designs; chandelier: Quoizel, Lighting Universe; place carpeting: 1 Kings Lane; chairs: Kmart

Sarah Greenman

Camille repurposed a timber plank out of her in-laws’ old fence and attached it to two antique corbels found at a store in Fort Worth to create this shelf.

Sarah Greenman

The tan and blue colour scheme continues in the primary suite, where a wooden sleigh bed takes center stage. “I mowed the footboard about 12 inches along with my reciprocating saw, because I had been frustrated by how it made the space look tight,” Camille says. “Now it’s like a panel mattress. Kyle thought I’d lost my head if he saw me sawing away, but he believes it works better today, also.”

Wall paint: Woodlawn Blue; ceiling paint: Manchester Tan, both by Benjamin Moore; quilt, duvet: Pottery Barn

Sarah Greenman

A little assortment of glass cloches found at Goodwill and Hobby Lobby adorns a dresser at the primary bedroom. “The one with ‘Gateaux‘ piled on the front was a recent buy during a visit to NYC, from the Morgan Library and Museum,” Camille says. “I lugged that thing around the Garment District while fabric shopping, then in my carry-on bag on the way home.”

Sarah Greenman

The couple completely renovated their previously pink-tiled, glittery-Formica-clad principal bathroom. “Everything in there was first and needed replacement,” Camille says. ” I love having two sinks instead of simply one. It makes mornings much more civilized.”

She created the dual vanity from an antique buffet found at a consignment store for $200. After painting it white, the few topped it with a Carrara marble remnant from a local stone lawn.

Paint: Wedgewood Gray, Benjamin Moore; knobs, pulls: Anthropologie

Sarah Greenman

Camille keeps clutter to a minimum with DIY business jobs like this framed jewelry corkboard in her bedroom. “I really don’t like a great deal of stuff in the home,” she says. “In actuality, I am known for cleaning up using a trash can in hand.”

Sarah Greenman

Camille renovated the kids’ hall toilet on a1,200 budget. She converted their tub to a dual tub and shower, painted the cabinetry, replaced the glitter-specked Formica counter with granite counter tops, tiled the ground and installed new lighting. “I learned a lot about constructing walls, carpentry and electrical, as I did it all myself,” she says. “However, I left the plumbing to the specialists.”

Camille discovered to tile by viewing her father and studying up on techniques and supplies. “It is not difficult but does take patience, especially in the event that you decide to learn using little bitty tiles, such as I did. Maybe not my smartest move. I utilized a manual tile for your toilet, then afterward a wet saw for my kitchen backsplash, and there is no wonder that the tile saw is much simpler to use.”

Wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart; tile: Lowe’s

Sarah Greenman

A 1970s-era credenza, purchased at Goodwill for $30, has been painted black and today serves as a buffet in the kitchen. “I added panels to the drawer fronts to add a little bit of detail and hide the recessed drawer pulls,” Camille says. “I added turned legs to the floor and an MDF top, then flashed the edge to give it a finished-countertop appearance.”

Buffet hardware: Hobby Lobby

Sarah Greenman

Two-toned cabinetry, subway tile and marble countertops give the kitchen a dressed-up vibe. Kyle reconfigured the kitchen by yanking out the first wall mount and retrofitting a slide-in range. He also replaced the cabinets, upper cupboard doors and countertops. “After those things were done, it really begun to feel like home,” Camille says.

The most recent upgrade to the home involved replacing the dining and kitchen flooring with hand-scraped walnut. “We had a major escape while we had been on vacation and were made to replace the flooring,” she says. “While we were in it, I chose to replace the carpeting in the living room and hallway with timber too. I think the biggest splurge so far is the wood floor we picked, but it had been worth every penny.”

The couple purchased the stainless apron-front sink on clearance. It sat patiently at the garage for a while before the renovation began. “I highly recommend large single-bowl sinks,” Camille says. “They could hide a good deal of dirty dishes.”

Upper-cabinet paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore; sink: Overstock.com

Sarah Greenman

Camille made excellent use of the area over and around the cooking range. A hanging rack keeps pans and pots in the ready; it shares space with an open wall-mounted spice rack out of Ikea.

Wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart

Sarah Greenman

The back of an antique oven serves as a magnet board attached to a kitchen wall. “It had such a beautiful patina,” Camille says. “I needed to save it and turn it into something practical.”

Sarah Greenman

A large living room teeming with cushy seating and including an entertainment center is opposite the kitchen and enjoys views of the garden. “Truthfully, there are a great deal of things about our home that I would change if I had carte blanche, but we live here. Like, really live here,” Camille says. “I want for your kids and people who come around to become comfortable. So the ivory linen couch can wait. For now, we’ll watch films and put a little additional butter on our popcorn as we hit the sofa, which also doubles as a giant napkin.”

Curtains: Lowe’s; couches: Ashley Furniture; wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart

Sarah Greenman

A door, potted greenery plus a little Boston terrier sculpture create a welcoming vignette in the front entry. The doorway mat reads “Bonjour,” giving visitors a little taste of what’s inside.

Sarah Greenman

Kyle’s brother, who resides across the street, alerted him if the home went on the market a decade back. Then, about four years when they moved in, the house next door was purchased by their parents. “We’d like to call our neighborhood ‘the compound,'” Camille says.

Sarah Greenman

“There are many things to appreciate about Abilene,” says Camille, revealed here with Rufus. “True, there aren’t a great deal of trees and it’s quite hot and dry in the summer, but we do have a thriving arts community, including numerous museums and galleries, ballet, a symphony and lots and lots of great places to eat.”

Your turn: Show us your creative home!

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Fireplaces

Painted Paneling for Straight-Up Style

Paneling is one of the fastest ways we know of to add appeal and attention to the walls and ceilings in any room. However, if dark, manly dens and gullible libraries come into mind when you believe paneling, consider again. Rich wood paneling is ideal for creating that formal look, but if bright, airy and open are adjectives you’re attempting to conjure, don’t count paneling out. A coating of paint, or a few coats, can transform that wood into something which’s ideal for your property.

Borges Brooks Builders

If you like the look of white but occasionally find it dull, painted paneling can be an ideal enhancement. The white is sleek, clean and shiny, while the grooves at the paneling add interest and dimension, creating a space with loads of character.

Wendi Young Design

For the charm of painted paneling without committing to the entire room, put it in one spot. The paneling over this mattress adds focus to the focal point of the space and creates striking comparison to the walls surrounding it.

Whitten Architects

Painted paneling is a shore-house basic and, if you inquire, looks fabulous in colors that reflect the outside. Blues and greens conjure the sea beyond the window.

Whitten Architects

To get a space that has floor-to-ceiling paneling, making contrast with paint adds much charm. We’re huge fans of a blue that mirrors the sky.

Julianne Stirling

Paneling placed vertically and horizontally within this space adds visual attention and leaves the space feel more cozy.

Warmington & North

In newer houses, we love the way painted paneling creates the look of age. Coupled with tasteful decor, it is sophisticated and chic but can be equally relaxed when complemented with more casual decor.

Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

We love the architectural detail positioned behind the mattress — the ideal background for a gorgeous headboard.

Stonebreaker Builders & Remodelers

To get a look that is not as dim as stained but has more of a presence than plain white, tan is a good compromise. It is still warm but much less formal and looks terrific counter with accessories.

More:
How to Update Cozy Wood Paneling
Beautiful Details: Wainscoting and Paneled Walls

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Eclectic Homes

Guest Picks: 19 Ideas for Nautical-Theme Kids' Rooms

I am currently working on the redesign of my three-year-old kid’s bedroom. I think I’ve depended on a nautical theme, but I also need to make certain the room can grow together with him and be applicable ten years from now. Below are my top 20 picks for a seafaring-inspired boy room which will age gracefully! — Emma in The Marion House Novel

Mjölk

Seablanket by Vik Prjonsdottir – CAD 440

Using its dance anchors in royal blue, this blanket by Vik Prjonsdottir is whimsical and charming. It is a perfect statement piece.

Design Within Reach

Deck Light | Design Within Reach – $425

This brass dock lighting has roots back to the shipyards of 19th century London. It’d definitely bring a marine sense to a boy’s bedroom and would look great on the wall beside a twin bed.

Three Potato Four

Classic Plaid Wool Blanket No.4 – $152

I am thinking of working with this red, blue and white vintage plaid wool blanket in my son’s bed. The color scheme is perfect for a nautical-themed room.

West Elm

Stripe Sheet Set, White/Dusty Navy – $59

Nautical striped sheets in navy and white are the perfect complement to a plaid throw.

Three Potato Four

Whimsey Folk Art Anchor And Chain Carving – $250

This anchor and string carving would make a great accessory. It is carved from 1 piece of wood!

Etsy

Vintage Ship Print 7 Nautical Sail Boat Sea From Hindsvik – $12

This vintage boat print is excellent for an adventure-loving boy area — superbly illustrated!

Etsy

Silk Aviator Map Cushion From Atelier688 – $250

These map cushionsare created from original Cold War silk aviator maps, would be perfect as accents on a bed or seat.

Etsy

Japanese Glass Fishing Floats Original Nets By GlassFloatJunkie

The story behind those original found Japanese glass fishing floats is so intimate. They traveled the ocean currents for many years until a beachcomber discovered them at Alaska. What a fantastic story to tell a little boy!

Three Potato Four

Wire Egg Baskets – $45

I love the redblue and yellow shade of those wire baskets. They would make great toy storage.

Anthropologie

Pliant Rope Handle – $12

I am thinking of finding a secondhand dresser and substituting the knobs using these pliant jute rope handles. They will immediately make the piece more seaworthy!

West Elm

Seagrass Basket, Oversized – $129

I enjoy using baskets to stow toys away. They are easy to use and look great. This sea grass version would add texture to a nautical-themed room.

West Elm

Star Garland – $12

This burlap star garland includes a beachy feel and could work nicely in the area. Maybe behind his bed or more than his window framework?

Noguchi

Akari Light Sculptures – $130

I’ve wanted one of those iconic Noguchi paper lanterns for a little while now. This is one of these bits you’ll always find a place for on your house and that will last the test of time.

The Rug Loft

New Dhurry

This white and blue flat woven carpet with jaunty stripes would be great underfoot!

ABC Carpet & Home

Baxter Table/Stool, Small – $1,495

This chopped weathered wood stool could function as a little seat or table. Its tough texture and diverse layout echo faraway lands.

Dash & Albert Rug Company

Blue Awning Stripe Woven Cotton Throw – $74

Toss this blue awning stripe throw at the end of a bed or over a seat for a nautical appearance.

AMLIVING

Signal Flag Décor, W Flag – $11

These nautical signal flags could make a fantastic wall decoration. Hang one or 2 of them onto the wall or string a whole group of them together just like a bunting.

Etsy

Curtain Tie backs Light Brown Rope Nautical By AlaskaRugCompany – $40

These curtain tie-backs would pop some navy or red linen drapes.

Three Potato Four

Folk Art Large-Scale Model Rowboat – $450

I am not certain when we have the room for this particular piece, but it’s something which may be hung from the ceiling of the room. I love all the layers of accumulated paint.

Next: Decorating With Maps

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Color

Have a Tour of Popular Colors Through the Decades

How does a palette get chosen, and why does that particular colour become popular and specify an age? Probably because colour choice does not happen in a vacuum. Politics, economics and technology all affect what colors will be popular in a special time. When there’s an economic boom, then the colors will likely be happy and celebratory. If, on the other hand, there’s an economic downturn, the chosen palette will more than likely be of more somber hues.

Let us take a look at how this has performed in the USA within the past 100 years.

1920s. While the industrial age began in the 19th (or, some might say, 18th) century, the most modern age did not actually come about until after the conclusion of the Great War. Starting in the 1920s, in reaction to the stylistic excesses of the 19th century, architecture and domestic design took on a clearly functional, machine-like cosmetic. As Le Corbusier, one of the excellent architects of the 20th century, said, our homes were “machines for living”

The perfect colour to portray that aesthetic has been white. Pure, platonic and honest, this colour came to signify the dawn of a new age in structure. From Corbu into Mies into the present, modernism became synonymous with the white box.

Sadro Design Studio Inc..

Even the easy kitchen required on the aesthetic of this lab. White walls, white cupboards and white appliances led to an aesthetic that talked to some clean, healthy and disease-free environment.

Fallingwater

1930s. This decade would have to be distinguished as missing into the Great Depression. With huge unemployment and a nearly complete collapse of this building industry, it’s a wonder any homes were constructed, especially one that must be among the most beautiful.

So the colors of this decade were forest greens, soft browns and yellows in addition to Frank Lloyd Wright’s favored, Cherokee Red. See more of the Colours of Fallingwater.

Mal Corboy Design

There has been a countervailing colour fad in the 1930s also, though. Go figure, but during the depths of the Great Depression there was a lot of optimism about the long run. So compact buildings using polished chrome, stainless steel and other surfaces that are polished, and flowing curves have been also a style fad.

James McAdam Design

1940s. Throughout the first half of this decade, much of the planet was engaged in World War II. So it’s not surprising that the colors Americans associate with that time would be the red, white and blue of the U.S. flag. The stars and stripes were flying anywhere.

When the war ended and our servicemen and -women returned, Americans took to constructing a brand new 20th-century America. This America was a party of the future, with modern materials and designs. Chrome tubular chairs substituted overstuffed lounges, while curtains and blinds offered way to sheets of glass. The colors were sophisticated and wealthy; deep browns and ebony blacks against glistening metal controlled.

Mark English Architects, AIA

1950s. The age that adopted the charm and humor of the Cleavers and Lucy, created the interstate highway system and saw the fulfillment of the American dream in the suburban ranch home was an age of grand joy. And when there was one thing that symbolized this, it needed to be automobile tail fins on pastel-colored automobiles. In case you have to ask exactly what the tail fins were for, you are missing the point entirely.

Colors of the 1950s epitomized the optimism of the years. I can still picture my parents’ multigreen Pontiac Parisienne along with also my uncle’s red Corvette. From mint greens into turquoise to soft and creamy yellows, our automobiles came in more or less every single pastel conceivable, it seems.

Chimera Interior Design

1960s. From Haight-Ashbury into Piccadilly Circle, the Beatles into Peter Max, Woodstock into Selma, the decade of the 1960s was one of change, occasionally full of peace and love and at times disturbingly violent. It was a decade of taking sides and proclaiming, in the loudest possible terms, that you’re.

Colors from this decade are abundant, profound, psychedelic hues, such as acid orange and orange pink. The name of one of my all-time-favorite books, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine Flake Streamline Baby, sums up the strategy to colour for this decade.

UBERDESIGNHOUSE

1970s. From Afros to disco, from Jaws into Star Wars, that the 1970s has been a time to become big and bold. As the Vietnam War came to an inglorious close, the shadow of Watergate loomed over politics and we waited in long lines to fill our gas tanks, the decades also had a dark side.

So at precisely the same time we’d bold graphics and moved big, we had a colour palette of rusts, golds, greens and browns. But rather than simply taking their hue from the normal world, these colors were a bit off, more manmade, with only a hint of grey.

Who will forget all those avocado green and harvest gold appliances?

Susan Jablon Mosaics

1980s. Reaganomics, David Bowie, MTV, the computer and also the Space Shuttle are emblematic of the economic boom during this decade. With sumptuous movies like The Last Emperor and from Africa in addition to television shows such as Miami Vice, that the 1980s was a stunning time.

The colors of the ’80s have to be flamingo pink, Caribbean blue and lime green — bold, bright and brash colors that transported us into the tropics in a “go fast” boat.

(m) + charles beach INTERIORS

And for all those in a more conservative state of mind, who will forget Nancy Reagan red?

Vandeventer + Carlander Architects

1990s. Cell phones, personal computers and the Internet supposed that we were more “connected” to one another at the dawn of the information age. A middle of this new age was Seattle, home to many of the technology companies that would come to dominate the economics of this decade. And you can’t mention Seattle without mentioning grunge and a feeling of isolation and alienation only if we were becoming more connected.

The colors of the decade included grays and a muted palette of reds, blues and greens and blues.

2000s. What a couple of years! Surely it was 10 years of one intense after another. A snowball bubble burst, two more wars began, cheap and effortless credit allowed for irrational exuberance to take hold anywhere — and the celebration crashed.

While it appeared that each homeowner needed to have the stainless steel appliance package, and each dwelling had to be big enough to accommodate a small village, there was likewise a strong counter motion toward smaller homes and less glitz.

If one thing does stand out, it’s that all those surfaces needed to glow using a metallic glossiness. And stainless steel has been, in fact, the colour of this decade.

BY DESIGN Builders

2010s. While we’re still in the first years of this decade, we’re already seeing a few tendencies. A colour trend is toward greens and blues. While these colors might have been deeply and richly toned not long ago, now they are somewhat subdued. Coupled with earthy neutrals, now’s greens and blues are milder and less glitzy. That’s not to say they are boring. While the colors may be milder and quieter, the finishes tend be glistening and opalescent, including some glitz to the overall scheme.

For many, those muted earth colors, no matter what the finish, just don’t do it. Pantone has had some predictions color lovers appreciate, such as …

Larry Hanna

… Tangerine Tango in 2012. Recession and governmental gridlock be damned! A colour in this way will always put a smile on your face and jump-start your heart no matter what is happening elsewhere.

Carlyn And Company Interiors + Design

And Pantone chose Emerald to get 2013: green and glitz all in one package.

Tell us : What colors do you believe that the 2010s will be remembered for?

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Saving Water

What's a B-Vent Gas Fireplace?

Organic draft gas fireplaces don’t own a sealed combustion chamber and rely on the natural buoyancy of heated air to vent combustion gases outside of your property. A B-vent gas fireplace is a type of draft system which employs a particular pipe to take combustion gases. They could have drawbacks Even though fireplaces may be an efficient heating method.

How It Works

B-vent gas fireplaces draw air from the region around your chimney to help fuel combustion within the machine. Since flue gases are buoyant, the exhaust air moves naturally through its pipe system through your roof, in which it is completed the chimney and away from your home. The chimney walls increase in temperatures, Since the fireplace continues to vent flue gases up the chimney. The hotter the chimney walls, the better the flue gases keep their heat and buoyancy, making them exit the chimney.

Layout and Installation

B-vent pipes must be installed to the same standards as a masonry chimney Though building codes may vary slightly. These pipes may be included with combustible materials and run out of the fireplace throughout the walls of your home, terminating through a chimney on your roof. While the plan of a B-vent system is straightforward, it needs to be installed by an expert to make sure all local building code standards, clearances and safety recommendations are followed.

Pros and Cons

While gas fireplaces use the air within your home for combustion, the quantity of air is usually minimal and your home’s air quality isn’t reduced by this usage. Since a B-vent system’s plan is straightforward, it is generally less expensive to set up than a direct vent fireplace method. But while B-vent gas fireplace effectively removes combustion gases and offers heat, it may not be as energy-efficient as a direct vent system, because its design will let cool air into your house’s interior if a downdraft happens in the chimney, and some of your chimney heat may also be lost up the vent.

Safety and Warnings

B-vent systems are not meant for all kinds of fuels. They should not be used with appliances, such as fireplaces and wood stoves, incinerators, coal-fired or oil-fired appliances, or some other appliances which burn anything aside from natural gas or petroleum. B-vents are also not suitable for use with appliances which create.

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Eclectic Homes

What Can I Deduct in a Tenant's Deposit?

The refund of the security deposit is the most common source of conflict between landlords and tenants, according to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, so follow the right procedures to decrease the possibility of disagreements. Keep in mind that laws govern what you can deduct — the safety deposit may only be employed to cover four special purposes. You can’t use the money to repair flaws that existed prior to the tenant moved in or ordinary wear and tear.

Unpaid Rent

If the tenant has failed to pay rent during his stay in the rental property, you have the right to deduct the sum of the unpaid lease from his safety deposit. You may also deduct the lease the tenant owes if he does not offer you enough notice before moving from the property. As an example, if the tenant moves out without giving you a 30-day written notice, you can charge him for the lease to cover the 30 days.

Cleaning Costs

You may deduct money to clean the rental unit in the end of the tenancy. You can take as much as you want to bring the rental unit into the cleanliness level it was in at the start of the tenancy. The tenant isn’t responsible for conditions that existed before he moved in. As an example, if there are stains on the carpet that were not there when the tenancy began, it is possible to deduct the amount you want to wash it. But if it was already stained and dirty from the start of the tenancy, you can’t make the tenant pay for the cleaning price.

Damage Repairs

If, in the conclusion of the tenancy, you find any damage in the rental unit that wasn’t there when the tenant moved in, it is possible to deduct enough safety deposit to pay for the repair price. The tenant is responsible for any damage that he or his guests induced during his stay in the rental unit, except for reasonable and average wear and tear. As an example, you may make him cover a broken shower head, a hole in the wall or a large rip in the drapes. However, if the paint paint has slightly yellowed through the years or the carpets and curtains discolored, you can’t make the tenant pay for painting or for replacing the carpets as well as the curtains.

Private Property Damage

You might be able to deduct from the security deposit the sum you want to restore or replace private property that came with the rental unit — even if there is a clause in the rental agreement that stipulates this. As an example, if the rental unit came with furniture or appliances and the tenant damaged these items beyond normal wear and tear, then it is possible to deduct the price of fixing them from the safety deposit.

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Wine Cellars

Interesting Facts About Limes

Lime fruits earn their way into innumerable foods and beverages as a flavoring agent, and lime essential oils are used in the formulation of many household products. Both commonly recognized lime tree species — Tahitian limes (Citrus latifoila) along with Mexican limes (Citrus aurantifolia) — are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. One tree of species will produce more vegetables than a family could ever require, however lime trees are curious specimens to develop nonetheless, rich with fascinating botanical facts.

Meaning of Names

Several names are used interchangeably when describing limes, but two distinct kinds of limes exist. Tahitian limes are so-called since they initially came to California through Tahiti, but they are considered to have originated in the Middle East — the reason that they are also called Persian limes. In nurseries, they commonly are found with the label “Bearss” limes, though “Bearss” isn’t recognized by botanists as a distinct cultivar. Mexican limes are also referred to as West Indian limes and Key limes, as a reference to their first U.S. commercial plantings in the Florida Keys.

Different Limes for Different Uses

The small, across lime fruits commonly found in grocery shops and used extensively by bartenders are in the Mexican variety of lime tree. The fruits are picked green when they are between 1 and 2 inches in diameter, and they have a sharper, more acidic flavor than Tahitian lime fruits. Tahitian lime fruits are the size and shape of lemon vegetables and usually are picked when yellow. They seldom are found on grocery store shelves since they are so easily confused with lemons, however they are processed into lime goods, such as the filling for Key lime pie.

True-to-Type Propagation

Most varieties of trees which produce edible fruits would be propagated by cuttings grafted onto the roots of another selection. That technique is a form of clonal propagation, meaning that the seed of a resulting tree’s fruits won’t develop a tree which produces an identical fruit. In reality, the resulting fruit is typically of inferior quality. Limes, however, are one of the few fruit trees which develop true-to-seed, which makes them simple to spread at home. Cuttings can also be employed to spread lime trees, but this method tends to produce less vigorous trees than those from other methods.

Exotic Uses

Pies and beverages might come to mind when Americans think of utilizing lime fruits in the kitchen, however, other civilizations have found many more applications for your fruits. As an instance, the intense concentration of citric acid in lime fruits triggers an enzymatic reaction with raw fish, which makes it appear as though it was cooked. It’s this land, and the lime flavor, that makes possible the Latin American chicken dish ceviche. The Kaffir or even Kieffer lime (Citrus hystrix) is another sort of lime that’s employed in cultural cuisine. It’s the tree’s leaves, however, which are used to impart a tangy flavor in southeast Asian soups and curries. Kaffir lime trees are hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10, but their fruits are inedible and covered with bumpy protrusions.

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Saving Water

How Many Hours a Day Does a Hot Water Heater Run?

A nice soak after a long work week might be your idea of heaven, however if a helpful family member has awakened, run a load of laundry and opened the fridge, your hot water heater has been — and will be — running for quite a while. How long it runs daily depends on lots of variables.

Kinds of Heaters

Classic storage water heaters keep water warm by fire up any time the water at the top of the cylinder — in which water leaves the cylinder — falls below the set temperature. Based on the amount of people of the household, standby tank capacity, temperature setting and amount of shipping piping, a storage heater might run for many minutes every hour. The tankless demand heater heats water only when users call for it. Water heaters run an average of 3 hours a day, but the difference in complete operation time can vary from a couple of hours to get new tankless heaters to five or even more for older standby tanks.

Added Efficiencies

The efficiency rating of the appliance itself and if it is placed in a cold basement or heated area can limit its “burn period .” Placing a demand heater near the appliance which uses the warm water cuts down on heat loss along pipes. Insulation wraps for storage heaters reduce standby heat loss. Insulated pipes limit heat reduction for both, allowing settings that are lower. Efficiencies might limit burn time in a demand heater and decrease standby period in a storage heater.

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Eclectic Homes

Hidden Costs Throughout Construction Homes

Building a new home can be an exciting venture and one that gives you a lot of creative control over the design and characteristics of your living environment. It can also be an experience that tries your patience and also empties your bank account. Hidden prices are an unfortunate part of the construction process, but also the capability to identify them can help mitigate the damages until they accumulate.

Permits

Several of the most overlooked expenses of building a home are the cost of licenses. Ask your contractor if those are included in the purchase price quote you received for the project, and request an inclusive list of each license that will be necessary. If there are licenses that aren’t covered, include this in your cost negotiations prior to signing a contract. This is when the builder is eager for your company and will likely be more willing to toss in the extras. Licenses and required inspections will vary based on the region and the reach of your project but normally will include approvals for excavation, septic or sewer, blueprints, surveys, water testing or well drilling, utilities and adherence to zoning regulations.

Excavation

Most builders take responsibility for construction of the home itself, but not for preparing the property. Excavation and drainage prices can be extensive, depending on whether the lot has been approved for construction on and if the website is level. Soil samples should usually be offered to the county or town, and approval received prior to building permits are issued. There may be required wetland or protected habitat evaluations. You may realize that the county inspector demands a retaining wall. Consult your excavation company for a list of what is included and, more importantly, what is not. For items not included in the quote, insist on a comprehensive estimate of the cost will be and for a guarantee against overages, preferably with a cap of 10 percent.

Construction Extras

During the construction process, there are lots of on-site costs that may come as a surprise to you. These additional fees are typically concealed in small print at the contract, leaving you with a surprise bill that you are required to pay before construction commences. These penalties can include things such as portable toilets for construction crew, debris removal in the end of each day or week and renting a fence to safeguard against theft or liability. Find out whether you are responsible for making arrangements for all these items. If there are construction delays, and you are paying for these items on a weekly basis, you will be asked to pay the additional expenses. Additional items that may not be addressed in your contract are driveways, landscaping and an adequate number of electrical sockets.

Utilities

If your new home has been built in an established neighborhood in town limits, there is a great chance the lines for electrical, gas, cable and sewer will be within reach and can be brought to your house. This doesn’t indicate it’ll be free, however. You will be billed by every utility company for the cost of extending the lines to your property and also for hooking them up to your new home. This will require licenses and final approval from county inspectors, which you may also be charged for. As with many of the unexpected costs of building a new home, there is a risk your contractor will cover these items, but never assume that is the case. Always request, and be ready to pay out-of-pocket for concealed expenses and extras.

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