Air Fresheners Are Not A New Invention

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We certainly live in a time of fragrances. Humans always have and for long we could do very little to improve our surroundings. One could improve the smell with flowers and then perfume came.

Only a couple of decades ago we got products for water toilets and I remember that I was astonished when the water turned into a green colour.

If you’re not picking up the new, hot designer perfume, you’re probably looking for that scent to enhance the interior of your car. It seems that we are always looking for a better way to freshen things up. To get rid of any odors that might send out the wrong message. Often a message you don´t want to be sent out at all.

The concept of the modern home air freshener has come along way also. When you think of an air freshener, you may get an image of a paper pine tree hanging on a rear view mirror. However, these days we have expanded our variety in order to please practically everyone.

If you have a home of your own, you most likely wanted a good air freshener to get rid of any bad smell. Whether it is a scented candle, a plug-in that releases a fragrance throughout the day, or a spray of some sort, you know that you can determine the smell of your home.

The early aerosol sprays that used to be the air freshener of choice, are definitely becoming obsolete. Many home keepers now head out to Bath and Body Works or Candle shops to locate the perfect scent. An air freshener that actually rids your dwelling of stale stenches, and releases a wonderful relaxing aroma without chemical drawbacks.

The variety of candles available today can blow your mind. It is virtually impossible to ever be deprived of that ideal fragrance. From fruit smells, like cherry, peach and lemon, to floral and to fresh clean scents. Everyone´s preferences can be provided for.

A popular form of air freshener is the plug-in. This allows for no work and no mess. You simply plug it into a standard wall outlet and voila, you will have a gradually released fragrance of choice to improve the atmosphere of your home. The sweet scents don’t have to stop with your house as there are an abundance of car air fresheners available today as well. Don’t let that foul smell of old vinyl and fabric stink up your vehicle.

Regardless of your taste, there is no problem to find an air freshener which is right for you. You will find it on the internet, a great source to check out, and in the gas station or the mall. You can locate any scent your heart desires on the world-wide-web and possibly save some money. Many great stores such as Bath and Body Works are also located online if you’re looking for that great variety of popular scents.

Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews.
A related resource is the-air-freshener.info/ Air Freshener
Further information can be found at find-medicine.info/ Questions & Answers


Decorative and Faux Painting Is Fun But Don’t Start Until You Read This

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I think decorative and faux painting techniques look great, are fun to do, and add a personal statement to a room. I’ve been adding my personal look to the walls in my homes ever since my husband and I purchased our first “fixer-upper.”

When I first starting using faux and decorative painting techniques on the walls in our home it was a financially motivated action. We didn’t have a lot of extra money. I couldn’t afford new furniture or flooring for a room but I could afford to buy some paint. But just painting the walls a solid color seemed boring to me so I started exploring faux and decorative painting. It didn’t take me long to get hooked. Why do I like faux and decorative painting on walls so much?

1) It’s an inexpensive way to change the look of an entire room. Paint is the most economical way to change the look of a room.

2) A painting technique on the walls minimizes and hides cosmetic flaws such as surface cracks and less than perfect patching jobs.

3) It’s easy to change when you’re sick of it. Repainting a room that has paint on the walls is a whole lot easier and much less time consuming than stripping wallpaper off walls and preparing those walls for paint.

4) It adds your own personal look and style to a space. Color and texture are fun and interesting. An entire home painted the same off-white color is dull and boring to me. A faux painting technique can evoke any mood you want in a room whether it’s a Tuscan look, retro 70’s look, a country look, something elegant, a cheery bright look for a child’s room, or any other look you want.

5) The choices of techniques and paints are nearly endless. Some of the more popular technique choices include: sponging, ragging, dragging, color washing, stenciling, crackling, marbling, gilding, wood-graining, spattering, feather-dusting, and stippling. You could also use one of the specialty paint products on the market today such as Venetian plaster to create the look you want or buy a faux painting kit such as a Woolie painting kit to help make your project as fun and easy as possible.

While I highly recommend faux or decorative painting, there are a few things I’ve learned since I’ve started faux painting that I’d like to share with you. Some of these items are things to “not do” that I’ve learned the hard way. Others are tips and suggestions that were helpful to me.

1) Go to your local paint store or decorative painting store and look at the samples they have. For example, Home Depot has lots of different booklets and paint chips with faux paint finishes on them for you to look at and even take home to look at in your lighting. That pretty metallic finish on a paint chip in the store make look garish when you get it home and look at it in your home’s natural lighting.

2) Consider taking a class before doing your first project. Some paint stores and home improvement stores, such as Home Depot, offer free faux painting clinics and workshops. You can also find some very good faux painting classes for a reasonable fee by looking in your local paper or doing an Internet search.

3 Practice your technique on a piece of scrap wallboard before doing it on your wall. This is especially important if you are blending colors. A few years ago my son wanted his bedroom painted. He wanted me to use a Woolie (a great faux painting tool available at most paint supply stores) to blend together a burgundy and a caramel color. Each color looked great by itself, but when they got blended together too much a dark fuchsia color emerged. And anything resembling pink was not something my son wanted on his wall!

Because I had been faux painting for years I didn’t listen to my own advice about trying the technique on a piece of scrap board first nor did I buy sample sizes of paint to try out. I bought gallons because I wanted to save time. Luckily the store agreed to exchange the paint for me free of charge but we did have to paint over a wall and wait for it to dry before starting over with new colors.

4) Remember that the texture of your walls will dictate, to some extent, what faux painting techniques you can and cannot use. If your walls are smooth you can do just about any technique you want. But textured walls are very common, especially in newer homes. You may see striped walls in a brochure or on a sample wall and decide that’s what you want to do in your home; but if your walls are textured it’s going to be nearly impossible to achieve straight lines for your stripes. Keep in mind that faux finishes on paint chips from a store are done on a smooth surface. They will look a little different (but may still look very nice) if you do that same technique with the same colors on a textured wall.

5) If you’re going to do a faux technique in an entire room don’t start on the wall that people will first look at when they walk into the room. That means don’t start on the wall directly across from the doorway. Unless you’re a professional, it takes a little while for you to get your technique perfected in a room. Put that less than perfect start in the least noticeable part of the room.

6) If you get tired while painting and need a break, don’t stop in the middle of a wall. Stop at a corner. If you stop in the middle of the wall and don’t come back to work on the project again until after the paint is dry, you’re going to have a noticeable line on the wall. It won’t be pretty.

7) Think twice about mixing your own color with paint you have at home unless you are absolutely positive you’re going to have enough paint to do the entire job. If you mix your own color and run out of paint before you finish it will be time-consuming and challenging to match that color. You might be able to match it because many paint stores have specialty machines that can match a paint chip you take in, but if you’ve mixed together two different sheens of paint (for example let’s say you mixed a flat paint and a satin paint together) you’re going to have a hard time reproducing that same sheen. In some cases it may not be noticeable; but in other cases it will.

Dorrie Ruplinger is a featured writer for decorativepaintingzone.com decorativepaintingzone.com Visit the web site for more information on decorative painting and
decorativepaintingzone.com/faux/ faux painting.


Choosing The Perfect Home Theater Speaker Package

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We have many choices to make today, and when considering the problem of choosing a home theater speaker package, things get really complicated, because the diversity, the big number, the ever-new shapes and features of a home theater speaker package on the market become dazzling and as resplendent as if you browsed in a candy shop full of goodies. That is why you have to combine the quality and the best price possible of a home theater speaker package.

It is indicated that you collect data regarding every part of the desired home theater speaker package, and get acquainted with the technology of the components: you may find an ideal package that contains all the distinct components you desire, or you can choose them by yourself, buying them separately to obtain maximum quality.

Whatever knickknacks you are searching for, your ideal home theater speaker package must definitely include subwoofers, midrange speakers and tweeters, to feel the surround sound adventure intensely and to the fullest. Another hard assessment that needs to be done is whether you need wired or wireless home theater technology, because it depends on the looks of it, and on whatever needs you have. The value of your home theater speaker package is dependent also of the crossover design that determines how good your driver sound is, so be careful at this crossover design issue so as to get the best of hi-tech.

The more, the merrier? Make your mind up on how many speakers you’d like your home theater speaker package to include, following of course some minimal pieces of advice: small speakers are to be selected for the surround sound and when a single sub-woofer is involved, whereas large tower speakers carry the duty of creating stereophonic effects.

You can literally be amazed by the richness of the offer on the market for speakers, because you can very well be caught by a drift and a crazy shopping spree, ending up with a very expensive home theater speaker package: to avoid that, search for distinct speakers to see the best costs, how many features a certain package offers and if the price is comparable with the qualities: of course, you have to know a bit of electronics to discern which is good and which is not so good and why. You can get information such as this online, from impartial reports regarding certain home theater speaker packages, compare with what you saw in the electronic shops you entered and make your final selection.

Listening to individual speaker systems can also be a good idea, so as to form a better opinion, visit the web for information and reports again and engage in some price evaluation. If you follow these simple steps, you can choose an ideal home theater speaker package to soothe your mood.

You can also find more info on 1hometheaterreviews.com/ Home Theater and 1hometheaterreviews.com/Home_Theater_Audio_Systems/ Home Theater Audio Systems. 1hometheaterreviews.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Home Theater and Discover Home Hall Cinema.


Creatively Simple Basement Remodeling Plans

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The last room most people will remodel is the basement. If you have kids you may want to consider the idea of turning your basement remodeling plans into a play room project. If you do not have kids, but want to entertain friends and family maybe you could turn your basement remodeling plans into a room that is built for fun and recreation that big kids enjoy. This article will look at some possible basement remodeling ideas you might could.

As you begin your basement remodeling plans you need to decide what the main uses of the room will be. The important parts of the plan will be to consider the flooring issues and fixtures for lighting. You should make a list and vote on all the uses you feel the basement will be used for.

Basement Remodeling Plans – Game Room

If a game room is in order there are a few sweet options to go with. There are many themes that will look nice. The flooring will be a big one if you are trying to create a certain look and feel for the basement remodeling plans. Maybe a checkered board type look for the floor and then some chess pieces on the walls. Or maybe a poker chip look with play money and poker chips on the wall.

Basement Remodeling Plans – Entertainment Room

You might consider a nice plasma TV and some surround sound speaker system and make your basement remodeling plans into a mini theater. The lighting might be one of the more important issues on your basement remodeling plans.

Basement Remodeling Plans – Exercise and Fitness Room

If you have the room to add a nice indoor saunas you may really enjoy the many benefits of your basement even more. You should check out the many wonderful health benefits that come with using a sauna a few times per week. You might be able to create an entire theme based on the sauna and some weights to give it a real health club look and fee.

best-home-improvement-projects.com/basement-remodeling-plans.php Basement remodeling plans are really endless. There are so many creative things one can do with a nice basement. You may be able to visit your local home improvement center for great ideas to get you started as well.

Find more helpful remodeling tips by visiting best-home-improvement-projects.com best-home-improvement-projects.com where you will find helpful remodeling tips, advice and resources to include best-home-improvement-projects.com/basement-remodeling-plans.php Basement Remodeling Plans.


Upholstery Fabric with Color and Fashion

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When you shop for drapery and upholstery fabric you must consider two important
criteria: form and function. What do you want it to look like and how will it be used?
The right Upholstery fabric may not be the right choice for durability, stain resistance,
etc. If you have small children, you might suggest a color that will not show dirt easily.

Buying upholstery fabrics for your new piece of furniture is a not always easy. When
shopping for fabrics, you will find an overwhelming array of different patterns,
textures, fabric weights, and fiber contents to choose from. You should be aware of its
durability, clean ability, and resistance to soil and fading.

Here are a few common used Upholstery fabrics; Linen is best suited for formal living
rooms or adult areas. Cotton natural fiber provides good resistance to wear, fading,
and pilling. Wool offers good resistance to pilling, fading, wrinkling, and soil. Vinyl is
easy-care and less expensive than leather, vinyl’s are ideal for busy family living and
dining rooms.

Silk is delicate fabric, and is suitable for adult areas, such as formal living rooms. It
must be professionally cleaned if soiled. Acrylic synthetic fiber was developed as
imitation wool. It resists wear, wrinkling, soiling, and fading.

Nylon is usually blended with other fibers to make it one of the strongest upholstery
fabrics. Polyester is blended with other fibers to add wrinkle resistance, eliminate
crushing of napped fabrics, and reduce fading.

About The Author:

Roger King is a successful author and publisher of all-slipcovers.com all-slipcovers.com.
Upholstery fabric and ideas to showcase your bed and bathroom.


Roof Maintenance Needs – How to Know

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As unpleasant as it might seem, no roof lasts for ever. Every roof will need general maintenance from time to time. Some styles of roofs more then others, but not even metal roofs are immune to needing to be maintained. The key is to know the signs that a roof needs maintenance and keep it in top notch shape, before it becomes a major problem.

Things to know and look for when it comes to roof maintenance are such things as these:

Look for large amounts of shingle gravel in the gutters around your roof: lots of gravel in the gutters might warrant close inspection of the surface of the singles themselves to look for patches of little or no gravel cover on the shingles. If there are more then one or two areas where you see the asphalt through the gravel, then most likely it’s time to replace the shinglesPopped or protruding nails: nails that can be seen or felt as a bump under the overlap area in the shingle are signs that aging has occurred and that the nails that adhere the shingles to the roof have lost there grip. This is another sign of an aging roof in need of repair.Inspect for loose or missing flashing around vent pipes and chimneys: Inspect closely around these apertures where they are caulked down. Look for cracks or missing areas in the caulk. Although this may not signal the need for a new roof, it the caulking around these items will need to be replaced at minimum. Look for holes or potential holes in the valleys: Most roofs will have either shingled over valleys or possibly tinned or copper covered valleys. Valleys are a particular heavy wear point for a roof. It is where two or more sections of roof converge and drainage from the sections comes together in a central location. Shingle ware can be very high in these areas. Even roofs with galvanized tin or copper flashing covers, are subject to wear. Time will erode the galvanization from the tin, subjecting it to rusting through. Corrosion from air pollutants and acids in different tree saps can corrode the copper flashings until holes appear. Check for Rotting at eves and over hangs: Check exposed painted materials with something like a flat bladed screwdriver. If the screwdriver can be pressed into the material more then about half an inch, then the material may be showing early signs of rot. Heavy or extensive rotting should be evident to the eye or touch by the hands, when applying pressure Inspect your roof from the inside out: Look into attics and crawl spaces with a flashlight. Look for areas that are moldy or show signs of water staining. These are sure signs that your roof has a problem that needs to be addressed. Also check for proper air flow from side soffit to roof vents. Often soffit vents get covered up when insulation is added. These vents should be clear of obstruction. They are essential in allowing your roof to breathe properly. If your roof is more then 10 years old, you should have it inspected at least semi-annually. If you don’t feel you can do an adequate inspection yourself, find a trusted roofing contractor to help you. But don’t put it off until you need buckets and mops telling you its time for some roof maintenance.

More information and Resources about Roofing and Guttering can be found at newroofsite.com newroofsite.com

Scott Best is a freelance author in association with newroofsite.com newroofsite.com


Eliminate Dangerous Chemicals & Toxins With Quality Home Water Filtration Systems

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Millions of residences across America have home water filtration systems. Many of them have simple carafe-style pitchers kept in the fridge which process small amounts of drinking water. However, these small units are not very practical for large families. As such, many people purchase sink-based units which process more H20, while others have systems that treat all of the water which is piped into their homes.

House water filtration systems are an excellent addition to your domestic situation because what we drink, cook with, and bathe in every day is not completely safe. H20 is cyclical, and no new water is ever created. This means that the more our planet becomes polluted, the more our drinking supply does also.

Alarmingly, much of the modern way we treat H20 for public consumption is out-of-date and ineffective; it usually consists of running H20 through a sediment filter and adding chlorine. The filter is not enough to remove all sediment and chemicals, and the chlorine is not enough to kill all pathogens. Chlorine is also a dangerous chemical to drink.

Additionally, you may end up drinking lead, antibiotics, sewage, and dangerous pathogens every time you turn your faucet on. Water filtration home products remove these dangerous elements from your H20 supply.

Some home water filtration systems also remove elements that are merely annoying, not dangerous. Most areas in America have hard (heavily mineralized) water. H20 softeners take out the hard minerals and replace them with softer minerals.

Additionally, some house water filtration systems make H20 even more beneficial by working an ion exchange. This may exchange lead ions for potassium or split the water into two different types, one for drinking and one for bathing. The drinking substance is able to hydrate the body better.

Do be aware that different water filtration home products perform different functions – not all strain out dangerous substances and thus make H20 safer. Some just remove annoying substances and make H20 more beneficial.

While there are many types of home water filtration systems on the market today, the best ones contain carbon as the active ingredient and have several components the H20 must pass through before it is ready to drink.

Other systems such as reverse osmosis, distillation, and ceramic filters have several drawbacks: they process water slowly and inefficiently, they don’t remove all dangerous contaminants from the water, the H20 they produce ends up costing a lot per gallon, and some of these systems remove important minerals such as magnesium from the water. When you are pricing a house water filtration system, carbon is your best bet.

Water filtration home products do more than just purify your drinking supply. Many people who enjoy raising either goldfish or plants know that these life forms can react badly to what comes out of the faucet. Purifying H20, especially by removing chlorine, is a good way to protect your plants and fish.

Additionally water-filtration-guide.com/whole-house-water-filter.html home water filtration systems are good in the bathroom. Hard water makes poor lather and does not rinse soap completely away. Additionally, it can cause brittle hair and itchy skin. The chlorine that is present in the public drinking supply can be vaporized and produce chlorine gas; it can also aggravate allergies and irritate eyes. House water filtration systems in the bathroom usually exist in the form of a shower filter and sometimes an additional unit for the sink.

If you want the best water filtration home-side, a whole residence unit is best. This type of system connects to your water main and treats everything that enters the house so that every time you turn on any faucet, bath or shower in the house, you will get clean, safe H20.

Home water filtration systems are an excellent investment for people who want to keep their families safe and better hydrated, want to make washing clothes and dishes easier, and who prize smoother skin and hair.

Martin Spencer is a health researcher who has been studying water filtration for over 25 years. He is a regular contributor to water-filtration-guide.com Water Filtration Guide, a site dedicated to various methods of treating and purifying water. Learn about the water-filtration-guide.com/whole-house-water-filter.html best house water filtration systems on our site.


Problem Shower Plumbing Headaches

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Leaky faucets, clogged shower heads, cold water instead of hot and poor drainage are all a part of the headaches associated with shower plumbing. Most of us do not want to deal with these problems and will call a plumber. On the other hand, we want to save a little money and may decide the job will be easy and try it ourselves.

By knowing a few simple plumbing facts, you might be able to fix the shower stall yourself. You will need the right tools, but some jobs can be done relatively easy. It all depends on your determination and ability to do some simple steps.

The Shower is Clogged

The problem most people experience in the bathroom is the shower clog. The first thing to check with the shower plumbing is the drain cap to make sure it is free of hair and other debris. In addition, the drain has an inside part that sometimes collects hair and debris that flows through the drain cap. You need to remove the cap and then check to see if the clog appears in this area. You can use a wire of some kind to pull the clog out of the drain.

If you discover that these steps do not clear the shower plumbing problem, you next would try the plunger to see if you can loosen and debris that could be farther down the pipe. After plunging the drain a few times, you can run water to see if you have loosened the clog and the water now drains. If not, you may need to try one more thing before calling for help. Try some Drano and follow the directions and you should clear the clog if it is nothing more serious than a clogged drain.

Shower Plumbing and the Shower Installation

If you want to, you can install your own i-plumbing.com/Basement_Plumbing/ shower and plumbing without the help of a plumber. Once you have your shower picked out and the plumbing materials in order, you can begin the installation project. You usually receive instructions to follow when installing the shower and plumbing; therefore, you need to follow the directions systematically.

After you turn off your water supply, you can then begin installing the pipes and then check for leaks before sealing up the wall. Many people put a mirror or something over the opening for quick and easy access in emergencies. After the showerhead and all plumbing are installed, you are ready for the first run. Turn the shower plumbing on and see how things flow. All should be fine if you followed directions. It is not very hard to install and fix problems with shower plumbing as long as you follow directions.

You can also find more info on i-plumbing.com/Toilet_Plumbing/ Toilet Plumbing and i-plumbing.com/ Plumbers. i-plumbing.com is a comprehensive resource to known about plumbing.


Tiffany Style Lamps – Other Popular Antique Tiffany Lamps Not Produced By Louis C. Tiffany [Part 1]

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If you’re reading this article, you probably know what Tiffany lamps are. Incase I’m wrong, let me give you a brief introduction.

Tiffany lamps generally mean stained glass lamps. The reason they’re called Tiffany lamps is because back in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s a guy by the name of Louis Comfort Tiffany propelled stained glass lamps to a whole new level. He used an innovative technique to produce exquisite decorative stained glass lamps that were works of art. Back in the day, Tiffany lamps were all the rage. And anyone who was wealthy enough to own one had one. Even the white house housed a good few lamps of Tiffany’s.

Due to the popularity of these lamps, other company’s wanted a piece of the action. And started making their own Tiffany style lamps. Two of the most popular makers of these beautiful works of art, (Tiffany Studios being the most successful and popular), are Handel and Duffner & Kimberly.

Have you ever heard of a Duffner & Kimberly lamps? What about a Handel?

Both of these lamp makers succeeded in produce good quality Tiffany style lamps. And even today, just like Tiffany reproduction lamps, you can get Handel reproduction lamps and Duffner & Kimberly reproductions lamps.

What I’d like to talk to you about, is Duffner & Kimberly lamps. Because if you’ve never heard of them, or never seen one of them, then you’re missing out on some beautiful stained glass lamps!

Who Is Duffner & Kimberly?

A manager of a kerosene lamp factory called Frank Duffner formed a business with a talented stained glass window designer called Oliver Kimberly. The formed a business called Duffner & Kimberly Company. In the short time their company existed, they produces some beautiful elegant stained glass lamps.

What Was Unique About Duffner & Kimberly “Tiffany Style” lamps?

The thing that Duffner & Kimberly strived for… the thing that set them apart from any other Tiffany style lamp designer was their goal to produce only the purest period style stained glass lamps for the finest homes in America.

They’re lamp designs had a huge emphasis on the “period look”. This means they created glass lamps with Roman, Viking, Colonial and Louise XIII, XIV, XV and XVI styles. Although I’ve not seen an original Duffner & Kimberly lamp, I have seen reproductions and there’s one lamp in particular that I find completely mesmerizing… I could even go as far to say as breathtaking.

My favorite lamp in Duffner & Kimberly’s period collection is the Italian Renaissance lamp. This is my absolute favorite stained glass lamp of all time. I find it incredibly beautiful. And I could stare at it all day… but hay… I’m getting of track here.

Where was I? Oh… yes… that’s it… Duffner & Kimberly specialized in period style glass lamps, but that’s not to say they didn’t create any other style glass lamps. Because they did. The tried their hand at floral theme lamps.

This wasn’t their strongest theme. I mean… no one could top the inspiration and innovation of Louis C. Tiffany when it came to floral themed lamps. After all, he was the master at producing great floral themed lamps. No one could capture that… je ne ce quoi he had. But never-the-less. Duffner & Kimberly did produce some floral themed lamps, and they are beautiful lamps all the same. Louis C Tiffany popularized these lamps and they, like any other business, wanted a piece of the action.

Only The finest Quality In Duffner & Kimberly Lamps

A great superiority in Duffner & Kimberly lamps was the quality of their lamps. They used only the finest glass and the finest bronze in their lamps. These lamps were of a very high quality and so fetched a high price.

So next time you look for Tiffany lamps… keep your eye out for Duffner & Kimberly lamps. I’m sure you’ll find them just as beautiful as true Tiffany lamps!

In part 2 of this article I’ll talk about Handel lamps.

About The Authour:

Nadia Ankrah is the owner of a Tiffany and Mica lamp store called tiffanylampworld.com Tiffay Lamp World. Her website offers information on Louis C. Tiffany and Tiffany lamps… as well as offering Tiffany Reproduction lamps. She also has a blog about Tiffany lamps at TiffanyLampWorld.com/blog TiffanyLampWorld.com/blog


Simple Feng Shui Decorating

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Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of positioning objects in such a way as to encourage free flow of positive chi in our surrounding environment. Pronounced “fung-shway” it literally means “wind” feng and “water” shui. This philosophy is based on the theory that spatial orientation and arrangement in relation to the flow of energy and yin- yang patterns could produce negative or positive effects. Proper placement of furniture and other accessories in a room promote free flow of chi energy which n turn induces positive feelings, good health and good fortune.

In recent years feng shui has turned into a trendy fad with everybody from architects and builders to store keepers jumping on to the feng shui bandwagon. This could have something to do with the fact that everything Oriental is ‘in’ at the moment, and as everyone knows very well, Feng shui has its origins in China.

Moreover Feng shui promotes the less-is-more lifestyle that is fast catching on in the West. Suddenly all Americans are invoking the age-old mantra that Feng shui has been emphasizing on for decades – Simplify! Simplify! Simplify!

Clear that clutter. Throw out everything that has just been lying around in the corners of your house and has never been used. It occupies valuable space, obstructs the free flow of chi and you waste precious time cleaning and dusting something that is of no use to you. It drains your energy and evokes negative feelings.

Feel the positive vibrations in our room. Some things instantly make you feel good, while there are other things you could hate on sight. Keep the good stuff and place it in a prominent place where it makes you feel good. Don’t even try to get used to the things you hate. Throw it out. Just like that. Don’t hesitate. It won’t do you any good to hang on to something you hate just in case one day it may be of some use. It’s not worth it.

Keep your room spotlessly clean. Clean out every nook and cranny from the ceiling to the floor and all the windows and walls. While you are cleaning remember, if you come across more useless clutter- throw it out.

In the bedroom remember to keep everything in soft pastel shades that induce a soothing relaxed feeling. Bright loud colors create too much energy that may not be conducive to sleeping.

Do not use too much of white while doing up your house. According to Feng shui, white delivers ‘cold energy’. It does not envelope you in the warm and cozy feeling that you would want from your home. If using white is unavoidable you can take certain measures to counteract its effects. Place a lot of bright colored flowers around the room, hang bright cheerful pictures on our walls and try and have a few well-placed colorful curios and center-pieces.

Feng shui is not only being used in the home. In recent times it is becoming increasingly popular in the workplace too where it is used to encourage better working relations, productivity and most important profitability.

Charles Chang is a Feng Shui enthusiast and author. He enjoys helping others with