How to Make Home Improvements Inexpensively

Research Concerning Color in Homes and Workplaces

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Over the years, many studies have been done in countries around the world to try to discover how human color preferences affect the choices we make in decorating our homes and workplaces, and one dominant fact has consistently emerged: our choice of colors seems to be based largely on the intended use of the space, whether it’s in our homes or at our places of business. Here are a few of the findings from various studies:

A Japanese study found that people prefer warm colors in the interiors of their homes, which was mirrored by a study in England, although the English were a bit more eclectic, preferring warm colors in their bedrooms and neutral colors in their living rooms. English rooms were also somewhat more likely to be painted according to their function than Japanese rooms.

In the United States, an extensive study looked at workplace colors and discovered that office workers preferred low intensity colors such as light blue, aqua, or off-white for their cubicles. Another American study showed that workers were actually more productive when surrounded by light-colored walls.

Scientific research is one thing, and the results of various worldwide studies can be fascinating, although sometimes conflicting, especially when it comes to color preferences among people of different cultures.

But what does it all mean when it comes to choosing colors for your own home? After all is said and done, the bottom line really comes down to this: When choosing colors, the choice is ultimately personal. So don’t listen to “the experts.” Trust your instincts and preferences, and then surround yourself with the colors that make you feel the most happy and secure.By Jeanette Joy Fisher

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Choosing Color Schemes: Colors and Physiological Response

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Because colors have tremendous emotional impact, understanding how color affects human beings can help you create a harmonious, joyful home. But studies have also shown that color elicits physiological responses, as well. For instance, the color red stimulates the body by raising the breathing rate, blood pressure, and heart rate, while light blue and dark green have the opposite effect.

Other Physiological Color Responses

Imagine you’re driving by a green field of grass, punctuated by yellow wild flowers. you’ll notice the yellow flowers more than the green grass, because yellow is the first color our eyes notice. Painting walls a pale yellow mimics a sun-filled space and creates a soothing feeling for the room’s occupants. White lace or sheer curtains, tinted with a tiny amount of pale yellow dye, will make a home feel sunny and cheerful.

However, bright yellows can cause feelings of turmoil and hostility. Therefore, bright yellows should be used sparingly, especially in high-anxiety centers such as kitchens. Also, naturally bright rooms that have been painted bright yellow may over-stimulate some people, contributing to angry feelings. However, that very same dazzling yellow room may be just the perfect place on an overcast day in a cold climate.

Red is the strongest and longest-lasting color our eyes process. Red is like a cup of tea or coffee; it awakens the senses. Dining room walls painted dark rouge red are not only romantic and festive; but they also help make food taste fabulous. At night, in low light, dark red is lavish and sensuous. In the morning, the same red enlivens and motivates you to live the day fully.

Many people are afraid to use red on walls because they mistakenly believe red to be an angry or blood-associated color, but red is auspicious, not caustic. Artwork often looks more important with a red background as opposed to white, and almost everyone looks great with rich red as a background color.

Light sky blue has a soothing effect on humans. This is because the pituitary gland releases tranquilizing hormones when we look at sky blue. If you want the feelings generated by baby blue but reject the color as “babyish,” add a little black and use a complex grayed-blue.

White suggests cleanliness and reflects the most light. It’s the purest of all the colors and psychologically denotes respectability and attention to hygiene. Brilliant white adds coolness to hot color schemes. Too much white will cause squinting and eyestrain, however, and it’s uncomplimentary to pale-skinned people.

Gray makes rooms seem refined and exclusive and denotes prudence and humility while bringing an aura of elegance. The only color that leaves no after image, gray instills creativity, imagination, and meditation, but should be avoided in areas where the natural daylight is often diffused by overcast skies.

Color affects human beings on a variety of levels, including changes in our very body chemistry. Therefore, a considerable amount of thought should be given to the color scheme of a room, depending on its use and the effect you’re trying to achieve.

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Picking and Planning Home Improvement Projects

Friday, March 25th, 2011

If you’re trying to decide on which home improvement you need to make, it’s important to cover all the angles in your planning.

By finding the most appropriate project, you can make sure that you spend your time and money productively on one that’s going to address an important problem in your household. Frittering away time and money on sundry projects when a home has specific needs is a good way to ensure that you don’t have the resources to take care of the big things when they happen.

When choosing a home improvement project, consider the following criteria:

- Can I do this? Let’s face it, not all of us are Mr. Handy. When choosing a home project, consider your ability in the skills that the project will require. If it’s something bigger than you can handle, you should instead call in a professional – or come back to the project later when your budget allows.

- Budget. Most of us don’t have bottomless bank accounts, so undertaking projects we can afford is important. Make sure you understand all the costs involved before getting involved with a home improvement project.

- Safety. Projects related to home safety should get your first priority. If you’re living in an older home, you may have carcinogens from old asbestos insulation or cladding, or there may be lead-based paint present. Removing the presence of these illness-causing substances is very important, and should be done by a professional.

Less dramatic safety threats include malfunctioning fire safety equipment, unstable steps or stairs, a leaky roof, bad wiring, loose handrails, slippery floors etc. These needs should be at the top of your priority list for home repair.

- Comfort. This is a key concern for homes, as the average Australian spends a large portion of his or her time inside. Making your home as comfortable as possible is an important quality of life issue. So if you have a leaky tap, noisy appliances or flooring that could benefit from carpet, those home projects need to move to the front of the line.

By understanding which home improvement projects need attention first, you can choose a project that isn’t a distraction from more pressing matters, and improve the quality of life at your home. Assess the impact on you, you family and your lifestyle before beginning, and don’t start until you have your desired outcome in mind.By Daniel Spakman

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10 Reasons to Use a Wicker Laundry Basket

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Wicker laundry baskets represent a very nice alternative to conventional baskets that will help you get the laundry done much more conveniently and faster. It’s no secret really that these baskets can be of great use to anyone and people are starting to become more and more open towards them. We believe that the attention that they get is well deserved and wish that you too can make your life easier by using one. The truth is that there are a lot of advantages that wicker laundry baskets offer; we are going to go through 10 of the most important ones right here in this article. Here is the list that we’ve compiled:

1. Wicker laundry baskets are very easy to maneuver. There are a lot of shapes that you can get, each offering its own special benefit. Some are better for a larger quantity of clothes, while some are more convenient to use when taking out the laundry from the washing machine.

2. Wicker baskets will make clothes managing a lot simpler than it ever was. Thanks to the light material that they feature, these can be maneuvered with great ease.

3. With the help of wicker laundry baskets, you will get the job done considerably faster. These will also allow you to do your laundry much easier, especially the larger pieces.

4. Wicker baskets are considerably cheaper when comparing to other similar basket types, thanks to the plastic type material that they use in their build.

5. Wicker baskets are generally very sturdy and last for a longer period of time. You will be able to take advantage of the benefits that they offer for quite a long time.

6. Wicker baskets are very convenient to use and can be placed in just about any environment. Plastic material is not pretentious at all and can endure most conditions without deteriorating.

7. These baskets also look great. It’s no secret that they come in many shapes and sizes. Picking one that you will like and looks great has never been easier before!

8. Everybody is using these laundry baskets, why not follow the trend? Thanks to the high number of advantages that they offer, wicker laundry baskets are currently the top choice of consumers worldwide!

9. Wicker baskets come in just about any design and shape that you can think of. It’s great to be able to choose from so many quality and cheap models.

10. These laundry chairs also come in a great number of dimensions so that they can be of better use for consumers.
By John Chon

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