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Category: HOME STYLE

Is your Water Environmentally Friendly?

Home Design Ideas

You’re ticking all the boxes: you recycle, you have a dozen bags for life, you’ve got all sorts of insulation, you switch off your power at the wall and you do everything you can to conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint, right? Well, what about water? And we’re not talking single-use plastic bottled water, or glass water filters here. We’re talking about the very veins that run around your home.

Is your Water Environmentally Friendly?

Water Consumption & Saving

There’s the debate about whether or not you could save money and be more water-conscious on a water meter rather than your run-of-the-mill direct debit solution. The arguments are pretty clear: For a larger household with 3-4 (plus) residents with a higher rate of water consumption, a direct debit payment system is usually suitable. But for a single home-owner with a full time job out of the house, a water meter could be a lower cost solution, and it also encourages us to be more conscious of the amount of water we are using. It’s on a meter after all.

There are also a few simple rules when it comes to being water-smart. For example, opt for a quick shower over a long soak in the tub. But do make sure the shower isn’t a lengthy one, or you could end up using more water than it would take to fill the bath. It’s surprising how much water we can use just to enjoy a warm shower on a morning before work. Wash your veg in a bowl of water rather than under the tap, and similarly turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Every little bit helps.

In the colder months

OK, let’s face it, most months are the colder months in the UK. We consume more energy with heating and hot water in winter because we want to be warm. And insulation is a key factor too. People insulate their walls and their lofts to ensure that heating bills are kept to a minimum, and that our homes are running more efficiently in the colder weather. But when it comes to water, it’s the pipe insulation that is key. An often overlooked way to add a bit of depth to your eco-friendly way of life is to ensure the correct insulation on your water pipes.

Being Water-Smart

Overall, it pays to be water-conscious, and there are many simple steps we can all take in our day to day lives in order to reduce the amount of water we need, and to get the most from our heating and cooling systems so as to not over-use household energy. But looking at options to go that little bit further towards economical water usage can be a smarter way to make your household that little bit more energy efficient. …

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Home Style Teaching – A Handbook For Both Parents And Teachers – A Book Review

Signature Homestyles

In the field of education as it is seen today, there can be a tendency to view it as an ‘us versus them’ mentality when it comes to who is more responsible for the children’s education. On one side of the line are the parents; on the other side are the teachers.

Home Style Teaching - A Handbook For Both Parents and Teachers - A Book Review

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From a purely academic standpoint, the teaching profession believes it to be eminently qualified as the best avenue to a child getting a proper education as society deems acceptable. From a practical position, parents feel the need to have great sway regarding their children as to what curriculum is presented that best suits their children’s educational needs.

Into the middle of this situation come Raymond and Dorothy Moore. Known around the world as fully qualified within the academic field, they have also taken up the cause of the parent’s right to determine what is best for their children. From this position we find an excellent book that addresses both viewpoints titled “Home Style Teaching”.

“Home Style Teaching” is more than just another book written that positions itself as to what is best for the child from the parental point of view. It also takes the side of the teachers, understanding why they are so passionate about their perspective when it comes to the education of the child. “Home Style Teaching” is a great resource for teachers and parents alike as it determines to quench the differences between the two camps and accentuate the positives that each has to offer.

Here is an excerpt from “Home Style Teaching” authors Raymond and Dorothy Moore, describing their own reason for writing this book in the first place:

“Home Style Teaching is a simplified, research-based handbook designed for both parents and professional teachers and for student teachers who are worried about becoming professionals. The parents may be either home-schoolers or those who wish to help their children who are troubled by school or are failing. This book sets out to make clear what education should really be and to make the art and science of teaching as understandable, successful and thrilling as it can  this book, we hope to take parents and teachers by the hand and lead them to courage and wisdom in one of the greatest of all professions.”

From the beginning “Home Style Teaching” sets the stage for cooperation between teacher, parent and student alike. In the sections contained in this powerful book you will find answers to such issues like ‘Becoming a Good Teacher’ to ‘Some Teaching Secrets Not Commonly Practiced’. You will gain insight from “Home Style Teaching” as you explore issues such as ‘What We Mean by Curriculum’ and ‘How Children Develop’. As a bonus, in the appendix, you are given names of well-known individuals that were educated at home, as a source of encouragement that it can be done right and successfully.

In “Home Style Teaching” the authors encourage the option of homeschooling without giving the impression it should be mandated for all. …

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Design Styles – Shabby Chic

Architectural Styles

For those whose homes were in need of a little tender loving care, shabby chic was the design style from heaven. Starting in the UK in the 1980s and spreading around the world, the style was pounced on by those who were looking for an alternative to minimalist white boxes. All of a sudden old furniture and scrubbed walls were in and we couldn’t get enough of it.

Design Styles - Shabby Chic

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Unfortunately for those of us with decaying run down homes, the designers quickly pointed out that this new interior decorating craze had to be a fusion of shabby and chic and that mere shabby just wouldn’t do. There was a certain irony in this as the inspiration for the design came from the grand old houses of the aristocracy where items such as chintz chairs were expected not just to last for a lifetime but for several generations. In these homes faded materials and patches were signs of thrift and tradition.

The earliest shabby chic style was rather grand in manner, using large pieces of furniture to make a statement. Nowadays it has transformed, becoming softer and more feminine but still aiming to tell a history of the property or piece.

When decorating your home in this style the easiest place to start, particularly in an older home, is with the walls. Often you will find that they have had a succession of paints or papers. Carefully peeling layers of these back allows you to expose the history of the house and the changing styles that it has experienced. However, this layer peeling should be done by an interior designer or someone with an artistic touch. Mere ripping of paper can just leave your home looking like a building site.

Often the wall layer will provide the inspiration for the colour balance of the furniture and fabrics. This is truly where the chic or style comes in. Again in a contrast to modern minimalism with its pure white or strong colours, shabby chic loves soft pastels, linens and floral patterns. It is important that each room should be designed as an entity with furniture being carefully chosen to match. Choosing any old furniture and dropping it in your home at random can lead to your home having the appearance of a tasteless junk shop rather than a monument to old style.

On a word of warning, the popularity of this interior design form has lead to a growing market in faked furniture. Items such as chairs or dressers are made to look old by sanding, staining and selective painting. Often several layers of paint are applied and then irregularly sanded off to give the appearance of a much older piece of furniture. Whilst there is nothing wrong in buying a new piece of furniture that fits in with your design style, don’t be fooled into paying over the odds for a seemingly older piece that is in fact new.

In a way shabby chic has transformed how we look at …

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Designing With Modern Flair

Modern Style Homes

Do you love clean lines and simplicity in your home? If you do, then decorating with a modern look is probably what you will want to incorporate. Using great organizational tools, neutral colors, and clean lines, are all ways to help you achieve this look. Below are a few tips to help you get started.

Designing With Modern Flair

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If you have ever seen homes that are decorated with a modern flair, you will notice that the spaces are generally very open and clutter free. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything in your home, but you will need to find ways and spaces where you can put it all away. For example, having a basket in each room in an inconspicuous spot, where you put all of your excess items each day, can be a great way of keeping your modern house looking clutter free. Another great thing is to design your home with a lot of cabinets in it. If your home is already built, adding great wall cabinet displays can really help you achieve this look.

If you are going for the modern look, then using clean, neutral colors will definitely help to get you there. Using a lot of lighter colors will really help you to open up the space. White walls with black picture frames can easily be a striking display in your rooms. Using white walls, cabinets, and countertops in your kitchen will help you to maintain a clean lined, open look to the space. You can add splashes of color through your favorite artwork or in the place settings on your dining room table. This will keep everything very simplistic and help you to not make your use of color too overwhelming. A dramatic art piece, which is very colorful, will help you to put your unique flair into the room without compromising the modern décor.

A great way to add the lines that are so indicative of a modern design is through your area rugs. You can use these to offset spaces in your home and to create certain living areas. For example, it is really fun to use a rug to offset the living space in your living room. It can be used to design a square space in the middle of the room where you center all of the main seating pieces around it. This blocks off this area of the room and leaves the rest of the room open and airy. This is also true for the dining room, where it can be used underneath your dining room table to offset that space and leave the rest of the space open. Area rugs come in a myriad of designs, and this can be the one area you add a lot of color or keep it simple. The area rug can also have a complex design or straight lines or circles. These are available online, which will make your shopping for them much easier and quicker.

Using great organizational tools, neutral …

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The Right Style And Color For Your Home

Home Design Ideas

When looking around for a home to buy, it is normal to feel perplexed due to the many available choices that you have. There are wide choices from the several styles of housing that you can find on property listings.

The Right Style And Color For Your Home

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Nevertheless, try to focus on the major kinds to avoid confusing yourself with so many different options. You can choose from bungalow, high-rise condominium units, colonial homes, townhouses and luxury homes.

Bungalows are the most popular choice among many homebuyers. It is a compact house with two or more smaller rooms with a basement or an attic. It looks elegant and chic and is a wonderful option if you desire a high level of privacy in a single story home.

Condominiums are increasing in popularity primarily due to its convenience and less maintenance required. This is your best choice if you cannot afford to purchase a piece of lot along with your home purchase.

Town homes are distinct from condos because you will not only own the unit but the land as well. This is more costly compared to a condo unit. This is perfect for you if you prefer to get more control on your home.

The most expensive kind of property is a luxury home. It has a wide space and has very urbane design that is preferred by those living in high-end neighborhoods. If you have enough money, you can opt for this housing style and enjoy your luxury home to the max.

As soon as you have chosen a housing style that will best suit your needs as well as the whole family, you should be able to choose the right color for both your exterior and interior paint jobs.

In choosing the right color for your home, keep in mind that your preferences play a major role in your choice. If you prefer a home that can easily catch the attention of people passing by, find a property with bold and unique colors. On the other hand, if you prefer a neat and simple classy-looking home, buy a property that has light and neutral exterior paint colors.

The sophistication of the home reflects the kind of people living there. It is only natural for you to aim for a beautiful home that has a wonderful style and colors that are pleasing to the eyes.

A home that is dominated by male persons will naturally have masculine colors in hues of blue or brown. In a female dominated home, expect to find flower designs, pink and pastel colors. Your color preference is a great reflection of your personality and your own taste, so you should choose a color that will compliment your styles and enhance the beauty of your home.

Choosing the right shades for your home needs careful planning. Keep in mind that it is of vital importance that you are able to match colors to complement the overall appearance of the home. Color coordination is necessary in making the house beautiful.

It …

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