interior design education

An Effective Towel

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:46:00 +0000

I’ve seen several various approaches to towel/sheet reuse programs by lodging properties. I’ll list them here in order of my least- to most- favorite:

* None at all, unless controlled by a proactive guest
* Let guests put a card or tent on their bed if they want their linens altered, and have them leave their towels about the floor once they want their towels changed
* Tell guests you alter sheets each and every 3 days (or whatever number you choose is appropriate)
* Have friends hang a card on the outside of their guestroom door when they want to have their sheets and towels changed

The reason I most like the final option is multifold. People tend to follow the path of least resistance and effort. Since it takes additional effort to make a request, your guests are less likely to create a request for changing linens. Housekeepers can more efficiently tackle their function by taking a fast inventory of how numerous door hangars you will find, grab only as many linens and towels as they will need every day, and get to it.

The option of determining how often you’re going to alter sheets is also viable, though you may wind up deciding to change sheets much more frequently than numerous of your friends would request. Of course, you would allow your friends to request a much more frequent change, but the policy is clear for the friends and housekeepers. This option might even be much more efficient for housekeepers because their daily function list will be able to tell them which rooms require fresh linens, letting them skip the step of tallying door hangars.

Why is a towel/sheet reuse program a money saver? Additionally to the obvious reasons of saving water, electricity, and cleaning supplies, it also saves wear and tear on the linens and towels, as well as labor. My research has shown a range of savings following implementing a towel/sheet reuse plan, $1 – $1.50/guestroom/day being them most common typical savings reported. If you have a 7 guestroom inn, you’ll save in between $2555.00 – $3832.50 annually ($1.00 x 7 x 365 and $1.50 x 7 x 365. Note: the typical reflects the actual cost savings but spread out via each day from the year).

The savings that are not reflected in these numbers is the increased longevity of your sheets and towels. How many linens do you begin with? Your start-up budget dictates some of that, but at the very least, you want to buy one and a half linens per bed. This many sheets lets you get through most days without having having to rush to obtain sheets laundered for housekeeping. Ideally, you will have at very least two sets of sheets per bed. If your beds are king-size and you buy 220 thread count linens, you’ll invest at least $100 per set. Let me tension although, that the greater the sheet quality, the longer they’ll last, making them a better investment than affordable linens.

About the Author

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Recessed Lighting The Best Way To Enhance Any Room

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:09:00 +0000

If you are in the market for the best way to enrich any room in your house including your entry hall the best type of lighting to choose would be recessed lighting.

There are loads of benefits to using recessed lighting for feel and accents in rooms one of these benefits is the fact that numerous styles of recessed lights are adjustable. This provides you with the capability to direct lighting to specific areas of a wall or segment of a room in order to produce a specific ambiance or highlight objects or artwork.

With recessed lights is easy to transform the light dispersal throughout the room by exchanging the bulb size from a spot to a floodlight.

You can also further accent or create preferred lighting effects by adding dimmer switches to your lighting fixtures.

Whenever you add any sort of accent or recessed lighting to a room the size of the room will always dictate your lighting necessities.

For instance large rooms won’t require a more general lighting design while smaller rooms are better accented with less fixtures space strategically to highlight and accent the elements of the room that you want featured. One rule of thumb to follow when adding lighting fixtures is that one fixture should be provided for approximately 50 ft. of space that needs to be that.

An important safety characteristic to keep in mind is that if you intend to use any type of recessed lighting in any damp setting make sure that the fixture itself has been certified and approved for a damp location install.

It’s at all times best to consult your local building codes as well as have your recessed lighting fixtures installed by a certified electrician. The requirements do vary from state to state so it’s very crucial to check before you do your layout and acquire your lights. Doing so can save you a lot of headaches as well is a lot of wasted time and money.

The typical placement for recessed lighting in the kitchen areas anywhere from 6 to 8 feet apart. You can use this rough estimate to calculate about how many lights you will need dependent on the size of your kitchen.

Today a lot of of the recessed lighting fixtures perform just as well with incandescent bulbs as they do with fluorescent bulbs. The fluorescent is really the best choice as they tend to last many times longer and deliver 3 to 4 times more light per watt than your standard incandescent bulb.

How to buy recessed lighting.

Recessed lighting fixtures have basically three different pieces. The fixtures themselves consist of the housing the trim that goes around the outside of the housing and a bulb.

Each of these parts are needed to complete a recessed lighting fixture.When you start the process of looking for any type of recessed lighting it’s best to select the trim accent that you want initially before you come to a decision on the type of bold or the housing of the fixture itself.

One significant note is to make certain that the trim that you pick is compatible with the kind of recessed lighting fixture that you will be using to install the lighting for your room.

There are essentially 3 choices when it comes to recessed lighting. You can buy these items in either fluorescence fixtures, standard incandescent fixtures and also low voltage recessed lighting which is relatively new to the market but is exceptionally safe and becoming more prevalent all the time.

About the Author

Learn more about the correct to use Recessed Lighting Fixtures and other home projects like Closet Organizers Now Free Online!

A History Of Sleep – How We Got The Modern Mattress

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:24:00 +0000

When you think of a mattress, you probably get images of a firm, white rectangle, filled with metal springs and topped with foam and cotton. Or, you might think of space age memory foam, latex mattresses, or other brand new sleep technology. But the mattress hasn’t been like this forever. In fact, these modern mattresses haven’t been around all that long at all. Before that, we slept on a wide variety of different surfaces and mattresses. Here’s a look at some of the mattresses of the past, and how we got where we are today.

The first mattresses were pads or bags of some kind of supportive material. Over the centuries, what went in the mattress has varied, as have the number of mattresses used. For instance, many people – even wealthy ones – have slept on a base of clean straw, reeds, or grain husks, stuffed tightly into a closely woven bag. Poor people might only have this “straw tick,” but wealthier ones in Europe would cover their base mattresses with wool or featherbeds – thin mattresses that softened the bottom one. These might be layered to produce a really soft bed. By the eighteenth century, American and European people began to use mattresses stuffed mostly with wool or cotton. Poor people might still have used straw, though.

Support for these mattresses tended to come in two kinds. You could either sleep on a flat platform style bed, with slats to support the mattress, or a rope, cloth, or leather support that worked more like a hammock. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the box spring was invented, and mattresses became a little less lumpy. This was the start of the modern bed as we know it, but the mattress that went on top was still much the same. Some of them now had special cover stitching and were closer to the same shape as modern mattresses, but they were still full of the same materials.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that the innerspring became common. These mattresses included metal springs inside of a rectangular case full of filler material and covered with cotton or other padding. Encased springs made sleeping easier. During World War II, families were actually encouraged to make their own mattresses at home – something most of us wouldn’t dream of today. We’re still using innerspring mattresses, but they’ve become a lot more complex – featuring artificial foams, special zoned construction and all kinds of other innovations.

In the 1950s, the first foam rubber mattresses and pillows became widely available, and in the 1960s, the waterbed came into existence. Memory foam was developed by NASA in the 1970s, but didn’t make it into consumer use until the mid-1990s. Other foam mattresses, such as soy and latex, have also become popular. Now, there are more options for sleep surfaces than there’s ever been, so everyone can get a great night’s sleep!

About the Author

Get mattresses, memory foam mattress, double mattress, single mattress, king size mattress and other mattress accessories at Imattresses.co.uk

Antique Commodes – A Touch Of Elegance to your Home

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:43:00 +0000

In English, a ‘commode’ refers to a sturdy chest of drawers or a bureau. In French “commode” refers to a piece of furniture with drawers. For antique collectors, an antique commode is almost always a chest of drawers. An antique commode is one of the most ornately decorated pieces of antique furniture and it represents sheer luxury and class. In Victorian England, the term commode described a bedside cupboard or a lavishly decorated chest of drawers or a low cabinet. In the 18th century France, a commode was the most important piece of provincial furniture. Found in a salon or drawing room, a highly decorated antique commode can be a status and lifestyle symbol of the owner.

Antique commodes can be chosen according to their provenance. They have certain designs and styles that may help you make the right choice.

Despite having come to stay as a permanent feature in English homes since the 1740′s, antique commodes are still referred to as the ‘French commodes’. These chests of drawers with ornately decorated curved fronts and designs later came to be more popular as the French Commode Tables. The commodes had serpentine shapes and many had bow fronts. By the early 1800′s the antique commodes took a rectangular shape. An antique commode decoration includes marquetry and gilt-metal mounts. An antique commode as a painted ornament became a feature around 1870. Some antique commodes have ornate tops, drawers and doors. The drawers in antique commode are concealed. Commodes were popular throughout the 1800′s. An antique commode has a form and decoration that were copied from the 18th century commodes.

Antique commodes can be chosen according to the material used in them:

Antique commodes in dark wood: Dark wood was used in the antique commodes to emphasize the magnificence of the gilt-bronze mounts. Antique commodes are a symbol of the skill of the French cabinet-makers. Antique commodes have gilt-bronze bands set to link the front corner mounts with the foliate hoof feet that serve to protect their edges.

Antique commodes with marble tops: Many antique commodes from Europe are found with marble tops. Antique commodes from England come usually with wooden tops. As compared to wooden tops, marble topped commodes can certainly add a touch of greater luxe to any living room. You may find that some of the antique commodes are available with their original marble top, from the 18th century. In many instances, the antique commodes may be fixed with replacements when the originals were broken. It is also possible that the previous owner of the antique commodes replaced the marble tops to suit his fancy. Whatever maybe the reason, the replacement of the marble top does not necessarily alter the value of an antique commode.

How to establish the quality and the authenticity of an antique commode:

A genuine antique commode has metallic embellishments or the ormolu mounts created to contrast the darkness of the wood used. The best pieces have bold and heavy ormolu mounts with finely embossed detail, while those of lower quality tend to be lighter with a less finish

A genuine antique commode has original drawer handles or non-original replacements

A genuine antique commode may show signs of termite damage and sawdust

With a bit of creativity, you can soon be adding a touch of elegant antique French design into your home decor to showcase your taste in antique furniture.

Antique commode styles:

Antique commode styles often changed gradually

Antique commode can bear in them an unglamorous decorative style characterized by simple lines and beautiful wood, but with a ridged marble top

Antique commode styles may be available in rounded opulence

The plain design of commodes make them far less valuable than those of earlier periods

Antique commode styles with a single chest of drawers are expensive

Antique commodes from Europe have shaped marble tops

Antique commodes from England usually have wooden tops tops

As compared to wooden tops, marble topped antique commodes add a touch of greater luxe to any living room

Antique commodes add a touch of elegance to your home decor and showcases your taste in antique furniture.

About the Author

Large variety of fine Antique Chest, Antique Oak dressers, American antique Chest,Antique Dresser Vanity, Antique Bedroom Dresser, Antique Dresser Marble Top, Antique Dresser Set, Antique Commode Dresser Oak Table on OldPlank.com, Antique dealers on OldPlank road Chicago, USA.

Add an Enriched Look to Your Homes with Suitable Choice of Curtain Poles

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:08:00 +0000

The interior decoration of homes involves the selection of different furniture and accessories required for creating an aesthetic treat to the visitors. There are several methods to enhance the beauty of homes by the selection of different accessories like home décor furniture, sculptures, wall paintings etc. The presence of certain accessories like curtains can provide a sleek and elegant look to the home. They are often hung inside the buildings to block the passage of light to and from the windows in homes. They are used according to the function such as noise absorption, resistance against fire, easiness in cleaning, and the life span.

The selection of drapes depends upon the size of window, weight and type of material used. These drapes often come along with rods that are used to carry them. The rods used to hold them can be made from materials such as metal, plastic, or wood and comes in numerous designs and styles. These rods were used in older days and have been replaced by curtain poles to cope up with the recent trends in fashion. The presence of these poles can be used to bring about a positive change in the looks of the home interior.

There are different types of poles available for hanging these objects in offices or homes. The drapes can be hung on traditional wooden curtain poles which can add to the beauty of the room when equipped with certain additional accessories. The most traditional form of poles with header tape has rings on it for hanging the hooks of drapes. Clip eyelets consist of two plastic rings that are clipped together without the aid of any machine. Tab tops are the simplest form of poles that can be suitably used for hanging lightweight curtains.

Nowadays most homes have bay windows for providing an ecstatic look for the home. The bay windows consist of three sides that allow the user to hang three independent drapes on the pole so that the user can adjust the light that comes into the room. Bay window curtain poles are specially designed so that it can fit into the odd window shape. The shape of the pole is angled so that it can be effectively used for the suitable adjustments required while hanging the drapes. The extra accessories such as finials and sashes would add to the beauty and elegance of the drapes. The decoration of the home interiors can be often made possible by selecting suitable types of poles or rods with added creativity.

About the Author

Get to know more about bay window curtain poles while decorating your interiors. Click here to know more about wooden curtain poles.

Traditional Architecture In India.

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Now a day’s in india traditional architecture is the widespread form of building since many years, constructed through traditional way of building methods by local builders without using the services of a professional architect. Due to western influence, architects in india are not using traditional architecture techniques now that are based on indian climatic conditions. In India, building materials has different categories – from mud-plastered to reed-thatched to timber-framed – in accordance with the availability of local material. Some houses are built to withstand earthquakes, while others can be rebuilt quickly if washed away by heavy monsoon rains.

Materials used for it:

In some areas where there are limitations of building material, natural materials such as mud, grass, bamboo, thatch or sticks are used, instead of transporting materials from far place which is a blot on sustainability practices, for semi-permanent structures which require regular maintenance and replacement. The advantages of such traditional architecture are the construction materials are cheap and easily available and relatively little labor is required.

As the needs and resources of the people change, vernacular architecture evolve to include more durable materials such as stones, clay tiles, metals etc. Though they are more expensive to build, they are very durable structures.

Climate has a major influence over traditional architect:

In india climate has a major influence on traditional architecture. High thermal mass or significant amounts of insulation characterize buildings in cold climates. Lighter materials are used to built buildings in warm climates and designed for sufficient cross-ventilation through openings in the fabric of the building. In areas which have high levels of rainfall, flat roofs are avoided, even in areas with flat roofs, water harvesting techniques are being used.

About iDream:

iDream is a International Class Architectural & Interior Design Firm offering its services in India and across the Asia Pacific region through an alliance. Set up in the year 2003, iDream brings together a resource pool of senior industry professionals with over two decades of experience in handling major projects in formats like ‘Design Consultancy’, ‘Project Management Consultancy’ and ‘Design & Build’, across the globe

For more information log on to:
http://www.idream.in & http://www.lightgreen.in

About the Author

Loknath Swain is a Mumbai based writer. He writes on subjects related to green interior and designs and he is associated with http://www.idream.in and http://www.lightgreen.in

Taking Care Of Teak Furniture

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:56:00 +0000

Teak does not require to be protected. It is a one of a kind wood that if left in its normal state, it will virtually maintenance free. You can leave teak outdoor furniture outside all year round withstanding the most harsh weather condition. So, it is most of the time considered as the gold standard for furnishings outdoor. Untreated teak furniture when left exposed to the sun will turn into silver gray patina. The process is known to be cosmetic and it does not harm the quality or strength of the wood.

It is recommended that you use teak sealer in order to preserve the natural honey color of teak or to darken the color of the wood. The sealer has UV protection in order to keep the sun from turning gray as well as serve as a fungicide to stop the growth of mildew and mold from growing on the surface of the furniture. You can apply the teak sealer to the new furniture or old furniture after it has been cleaned thoroughly. Varnish and sealer are not the same. In order to preserve the original color of teak the sealer is used. Using the sealer it allows the teak wood to breathe and let the natural oils escape without causing any peeling or bubbling like varnish. Preservatives and sealers both serve as stains and protectants. Basically, the darker the sun the more protection it provides from the sun, and the least requires reapplication. For furniture with ageing varnish which bubbling, peeling or cracking, it is recommended that you sand it off and use teak sealer or you can allow it to stay bare.

You can apply the preservative directly. During the first application, the wood must be allowed to remain in the sun for several weeks and allow the wood grain to open. Teak sealer is applied by spraying it or rubbing it using a rag. You need to apply two coats using this manner on the sides, bottom, between slats and on the top surface. The lower part of the teak furniture should be protected with newsprint or drop cloth as most sealers can stain concrete. Teak sealer should be reapplied every once a year by cleaning the wood using a soap mixture and rubbing and spraying on a coat on the area that get sun.

Once the sealing is done your outdoor teak furniture requires less care in order to preserve the finish. Washing occasionally with the soap mixture will eliminate normal soil. Oils from wine, coffee, foods and some condiments will penetrate the sealer and can leave a stain. To prevent this, a teak clear coat could be applied to the top surface to improve its stain resistance.

About the Author

Jacqueline George is a businesswoman and is promoting teak furniture. She has been doing this for several years now and is very effective on the said business.

5 easy steps to choosing the right French furniture for you:

admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:44:00 +0000

1. Think about what kind of mood you want to create in the desired room, do you want to be bold and dramatic and create a real statement with heavily carved gold leaf or ebony black style French furniture designed to enhance a feel of wealth and style in a room, or is the style you seek a more shabby chic subtle look designed to look clean and fresh with delicate pieces fit for a princess.
2. Do you have limited light in the room? If this is the case then you would benefit from going with lighter French style furniture such as the Chateau white, Valbonne cream or even the Silver Leaf French as this reflects light around the room well. The darker ranges like the Noir Black and Gold Leaf are quite domineering so in turn can take the light out of a dimly lit room with its grandeur but look positively stunning in a well illuminated room with plenty of space to show itself.
3. Do you want to create a statement room or do you want the style of the room to last? With the Noir Black and the Gold Leaf French range you’re creating a very bold setting that hits you as soon as you walk into a room. If wanting something that is less ‘in your face’ then the more subtle ranges of French Furniture will age well and the furnishings around them can be changed in order to give you a different look and feel from time to time.
4. How much do you want to spend? Nowadays there are a multitude of French furniture ranges on offer depending on your price bracket. If you want your French furniture to last a lifetime make sure you choose the higher end ranges that are hand crafted from solid mahogany wood and endure a stage by stage paint process to make sure that your furniture stands the test of time. If you are not wanting to spend a fortune ie: for a Childs bedroom or a guest room there are cheaper ranges on offer but just be aware these are not designed for heavy usage and may not have the luxurious effect wanted from your French furniture.
5. Less can sometimes be more. Although you may want to cram a room full of French style furniture to feature all the key pieces sometimes this can look too overpowering. The beauty of French furniture is that it stands alone well and you can make a statement with only one or two pieces. With the heavy carved detail on some pieces and the dramatic colours that are now on offer; if too many items are placed within close proximity it can look over the top and fussy so make sure that each piece has its own space to shine and really be seen.

About the Author

Bianca Reeves is the senior buyer at the Furniture Market.co.uk concentrating on sourcing new products and designs as well as fronting all journalistic writing.

A Few Helpful Household Painting Tips

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Painting your home by yourself rather than employing an individual to get it done on your behalf is a wonderful plan taking into account you will save lots of cash. The actual coloring job alone though will certainly require time for you to finish and the most crucial point you need to take into account initially will be how much fresh paint to work with. Getting an excessive amount of suggests you’ll throw away cash upon a product you may be unable to make use of once again. Getting not enough and you will get only a part of the home colored.

There is certainly to some degree a method to make use of while attempting to approximate the amount of fresh paint you are likely to utilize. Determine approximately just how much space has to be colored. Area equals length times width. Thus while calculating the actual wall space inside every room, you merely will need to take the width of all wall space put together and then times this by the elevation to the ceiling. As an example, if the wall space will be 50 ft in overall length, with your ceilings being 9 ft high, the overall area for the space will be 50 x 9= 450 sq ft. Hold this amount in your mind.

Apart from the real areas of the wall space, you will furthermore need to include the ceilings as well as non-rectangular spots too. Thus should you be considering employing the same shade for the ceilings this will apply, otherwise you’ll want to include this but as another coloring.

Whenever you include the overall area you have got to additionally subtract the entrances and also home windows too. Merely employ exactly the same formulation, add together the areas for all those doorways and home windows, after which take away this quantity from your total.

A few wall space within homes have got possibly trim around the flooring or even overhead molding close to the ceilings of which won’t need to be colored. In cases like this you should include the particular areas of all these too and take away this in the total also.

Upon having the quantity recorded on paper, you can after that have the ability to measure close to just how much fresh paint you are likely to require. After you purchase paint you will see that directly on the particular paint can there exists a tag of which shows the amount of feet square the gallon of fresh paint will take care of. If one gallon of fresh paint covers fifty feet square, and you require five hundred square feet for being covered, you may approximately want ten gallons of fresh paint.

Finally you’ll want to take into account the texture of surface that you will be painting upon. Should you be painting on cement, solid wood, or various other permeable spots, it will take much more fresh paint in order to complete the job.

It is ideal to keep a small amount remaining in the event you might need a few touch ups or even fall a little thin on the paint. When you provide the information and still are not certain, simply consult an individual in the paint store. They’re usually extremely helpful and they are there to be of assistance.

About the Author

Wade is an online content publisher who enjoys writing to help others. Visit his voice recorder digital website and read his opinion on the best digital voice recorder the market has to offer.

Curtain Fabrics Trends – Linen and Cotton Fabrics

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Cotton and linen have been among the most popular fabrics for curtains for as long as curtains have been in use in the home. For the past 40 years or so, however, they had been somewhat eclipsed by all the new synthetic fabrics on the market. These synthetic fabrics eliminated the disadvantages of cotton and linen while allowing for a wider range of fabric weights, designs and sheens. However, as consciousness has been raised about the damage the industrial age has done to the environment, people are turning back to cotton and linen for their window treatments in record numbers.

Synthetic fabrics are almost all made from petroleum, which as we all now know, is a resource that has become limited. Not only is it a finite resource, but there is a lot pollution that is created as a by-product of producing the cheap synthetic fabrics. The plants that manufacture the synthetic fabrics emit huge amounts of toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil surrounding the plants. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it turns out that most synthetics are simply not as durable as the natural cotton and linen fabrics. Curtains need to stand up to the sun, temperature extremes and normal use – for that you need fabrics that will hold up and last a long time.

Both cotton and linen are natural fiber fabrics, woven from fibers from the cotton and flax plants. This means that both fabrics are very breathable, meaning that air can circulate easily, a very good quality in a curtain fabric. Both fibers can be woven in varying size threads so that the resulting fabric woven from the threads may be very thin and fine to a heavier, denser fabric. This gives quite a variety when it comes to choosing the fabric for your window treatments.

Cotton is a very inexpensive fabric so will be easy on the budget but is still available in almost any color or pattern you can think of. Not usually a heavy weight material, cotton curtains can be easily lined to enhance the thermal and light-blocking abilities, if you choose. Many people like the thinner, unlined cotton curtains because they screen out unwanted eyes but still allow a lot of the natural light into the room. Cotton is quite durable and can be easily laundered in the home washer. If hung while still damp, you can eliminate the need to iron as the weight of the wet fabric will pull out any creases or wrinkles that may form.

Linen is a more expensive fabric but with good reason. Properly cared for linen curtains will last for generations and can actually be even more beautiful with age. The fibers in the fabric will grow softer and have an increasing luster as they are used and repeatedly washed. Linen is one of the most durable fabrics, pieces of it having been found thousands of years old. This durability may be a result of the natural antibacterial and antifungal properties of the linen fibers.

About the Author

The author of this article has expertise in curtain fabrics. The articles on linen fabrics reveals the author’s knowledge on the same. The author has written many articles on cotton fabrics as well.