Landscaping design is the art of organizing or modifying the various features of the ground around a particular property to improve the area from an aesthetic and practical point of view. Certain elements of art are used in various combinations to alter design principles, like color, line, form, texture and scale.

In an effort to incorporate the perfect landscaping designs, it is imperative to remember certain principles. First is ‘unity’, which can be attained by the effective use of tools in a design to convey a main idea. ‘Balance’ in a design is the equilibrium of visual attraction which is obtained with the use of different forms, colors and textures. A subtle gradual change in the form of color, textures or sizes, which adds life to a design, is called ‘transition’. The relative size of the parts of the design is ‘proportion’. For example, a four-foot pool would look unnatural in a large lawn but would fit wonderfully in a small private area. ‘Rhythm’ is a feeling of motion created by the elements of a design to the eyes of the viewer. The repeated use of features in a design can cause ‘repetition’, which can lead to monotony unless used effectively. Lastly, ‘simplicity’ is very important, as excessive designing can take away the essence of landscaping.

The game plan for landscape design is made up of certain steps, which if followed systematically and carefully can make the process a lot of fun. Before starting, a plot plan should be developed, after which a thorough site analysis should be conducted. Then the needs and desires should be assessed, keeping in mind the cost incurred. Finally, locating and designing the activity area starts, which is concluded by the selection and placement of plants.

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Building and living “Green” is good for your health, conserves energy and protects the environment. Log homes are the original green building solution made directly from the earth’s natural resource. This abundant, beautiful and renewable natural resource is 100% green.

Building green is a hot topic among building professionals and consumers – for good reason. The exposure to toxic chemicals in our every day lives is resulting in significant increases in asthma and respiratory illnesses, skin problems, migraine headaches and any number of health related problems.

Since we spend much of our time indoors, it is critical that our indoor environment is healthy and safe. Many building products today are made of man-made chemicals and emit high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Health experts are becoming increasingly aware and alarmed that these man-made chemicals are showing up in our blood and lungs.

Logs are 100% natural and don’t emit VOCs or other pollutants. Soil, water and air combined with the energy from the sun, in a miraculous process of photosynthesis, are everything needed to make a tree grow. From an ecological point of view, solid wood is the only building product that is renewable, biodegradable, recyclable, energy efficient and extremely beautiful. Logs and other solid wood, as basic building components, generate the least amount of air and water pollution, emission of greenhouse gases and solid waste. For example, steel and concrete require 2.4 times and 1.7 times more energy than wood to produce and 1.42 times and 1.67 times more airborne emissions with potential toxic or negative health effects. (The Canadian Wood Council – The Anhena Project).

Advances in forestry practices have steadily increased the supply and growth of plantation and private forests. In North America, the growth of new forests has outpaced the demand and can remain at a sustainable rate. In the long run, sustainable building products that are ecologically friendly are the only viable answer to a cleaner environment.

With energy costs on the rise and no end is sight, it makes good economic sense to design and build with conservation in mind. There is a great deal of documented evidence supporting the energy efficiency related to the construction of log homes. Studies conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other testing organizations have compared log homes to other types of construction such as conventionally framed and masonry. Test results prove the energy efficiency gained through the thermal mass of solid wood walls. Log walls better utilize the available energy in both summer cooling and winter heating. (The Log Home Council (www.loghomes.org), Documented Energy-Efficiency and Thermal Mass Benefits of Log Construction).

Most people building log homes plan to own and live in them for an extended period of time. Their log home may be a family retreat or a retirement home that they intend to own for the rest of their lives. The turnover rate of log homes is much lower than the average conventionally built house. With such a long term outlook, the decision to build and live in an energy efficient log home makes good sense for the health of the environment, you and your family. For more information on building green, visit precisioncraft.com” target=”_blank PrecisionCraft Log Homes.

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A little ground work for discussion: A shade basically has 3 measurements: top diameter, bottom diameter and side length. There are other measurements on complex frames which is another subject.

Here is a listing of many basic lamp shade styles:

1) Empire Lamp Shade- a round shape lamp shade with straight sloped side. The shade slope is not exaggerated but rather at a traditional angle, the most common type of shade found.

2) Bell Lamp Shade – the same as an empire lamp shade except the side is curved not straight.

3) Drum Lamp Shade – a round shape lamp shade with straight side where the top and bottom diameter are near each other crating a near cylindrical or drum type of shape.

4) Coolee Lamp Shade – a round shape lamp shade with straight or curved sloped side. The shade slope is exaggerated due the top diameter being much smaller than the bottom diameter thus resembling a Chinese coolee hat.

5) Square Lamp Shade – self explaining

6) Rectangular Lamp Shade – self explaining

7) Oval Lamp Shade – self explaining

Hexagon Lamp Shade – six sided lamp shade

9) Octagon Lamp Shade – eight sided lamp shade

10) Cut Corner Lamp Shade – the corners are cut straight across instead of a right angle.

11) Inverted Cut Corner Lamp Shade – the corners are cut inward in a curve instead of a right angle.

12) Out round Corner Lamp Shade – the corners are rounded outward in a curve instead of a right angle.

13) Scallop Top or Bottom Lamp Shade – the top or bottom edge is wavy or curved in a scalloped manner instead of being straight.

14) V Notch Lamp Shade – the top or bottom edge has a “V” shaped design instead of being straight.

15) Gallery Lamp Shade – the bottom edge has a wide gallery section which may have a different decorative treatment.

16) Fancy Square Lamp Shade – a square top bell shape lamp shade with square bottom where each bottom side has a single out scallop.

17) Bouillotte Lamp Shade – a short drum (or bell drum) lamp shade, named after the French card game where this lamp and shade were commonly found.

18) Junior Lamp Shade – a short drum (or bell drum) lamp shade made especially to fit a 6 way reflector floor lamp that became popular c 1930.

19) Uno Lamp Shade – any lamp shade where the shade “FITTER” is large enough to slip over or screw over the socket.

Now there are hexagon bells and squares with inverted cut corners. There are V notch bell drums and most any other combinations of features that you may imagine…

It may be obvious that this could go on limited only by our imagination and the lamp shade makers skill. Then there are custom shades in great variety and complexity.

Some say the shade makes the lamp and there is some truth in that. Just do not begin with an ugly lamp and expect your shade to redeem it !

Good luck on selecting your next lamp shade.

- Jim Hoyle

Since 1979 Jim Hoyle has owned and operated Lamp and Shade Outlet – Carolina’s Most Unique Exclusive Table Lamps, Floor Lamps, Lamp Shades, Tiffany Lamps and Lamp Finials. Jim designs and manufactures fine table lamps and floor lamps and collects, sells, repairs, restores and appraises antique lamps from special acquisitions and estates worldwide. His company also specializes in lamp and home decor factory buyouts and warehouse closings. Emails are answered personally: mailto:LampHomeOutlet@bellsouth.net LampHomeOutlet@bellsouth.net. His company’s website contains a wealth of free information about lamps and lighting: hoylelamps.com. hoylelamps.com. Visit his shop personally at 2233 East Main Street, Lincolnton, North Carolina about 25 minutes from Charlotte.

I like new interesting electronic gadgets. They seem to have a magnetic pull for me. For a time I regularly frequented an electronics store in town called Radio Shack. They carried a huge variety of electronic products. One day I spotted a tiny infrared battery operated alarm being displayed. It cost about $30.00, without the battery. The 9 volt batteries this item used, could run up to $5.00, if you chose to go for the high end Duracell alkaline type. That would give the alarm the longest operating life, per battery. So I bought the little infrared alarm.

It was interesting learning how it worked, and what its limitations were. It had a sensor window in front, which detected changes in heat placements, in a V shaped area ahead of the unit. The alarm had an on/off switch. It also had a 30 second delay feature to allow you to exit a room with out triggering it, after you turned it on. The alarm detected movement by comparing the difference in value, between heat readings from one scan to the next. When movement was detected a piercing electronic, blaring noise was emitted.

The alarm was even sensitive enough to work through a windscreen. In summer there were sometimes people skulking around at night in front of the area where I lived. I found that by placing the alarm in the front window, and setting it to the door bell setting it would ding dong if it detected someone sneaking around at night.

The next idea I had was to eliminate the battery from the alarm. They were costly and the idea of attaching a 9 volt power adapter to the alarm made sense. That way the alarm could be plugged into a household electrical wall socket, and be much more cost efficient. The adapter’s direct current chord connector, needed to be modified slightly, since it was not designed specifically, to plug into the alarm’s 9 volt battery connector. With this completed the alarm system worked great.

Later when I stared working at a gas station. I found another use for the alarm. The manager of the gas station only scheduled one staff member to work per shift, during the slow seasons. It was the sort of job where you have a lot of work to do. Serving customers and working the cash register was only a small part of the job. There was stalking the store area, baking pastries, cleaning inside and out. So while doing the work away from the front door and cash register area, I needed to know when some one entered the building. Plugging in the alarm by the door and turning it to the door bell setting kept me informed, should any one enter while I was busy working, where the door could not be seen. Faithfully I would plug it in every shift before starting work and then, take it home with me after my shift ended.

The manager liked the idea so much that he asked if he could buy the alarm from me. Thinking it would be a good move to keep him happy, I reluctantly agreed to sell it for a bargain price.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to alarm-guide.com/ Alarms
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