Be Fashion Forward With Futuristic Furniture

When decorating your home, there are tons of themes, concepts, colors and designs to choose from. Your home can be sleek and modern with stark colors and smooth shapes, have a cottage country feel with flowers, pastels and antique woods, or use bold colors and vintage pieces to create a retro retreat.

But if you’d rather look to the future instead of the past, and being simply ‘current’ isn’t cutting-edge enough for you, opt for these futuristic furniture pieces that will make your home out-of-this-world.

1. Misfits Modular Sofa (by Ran Arad from Moroso)

2. LunaBlocks (by Lunatic Construction)

3. Accelerator Sofa (by Phillip Grass)

4. Air Lounge System (by Meritalia)

5. Kure Dining Table (by Fatih Can Sarioz)

6. Sleeping Pod Bed (by Albert Frias)

7. Sonic Chair (by Sonic Chair)

8. ALight Kitchen (by Altera Design Studio)

9. Omega Desk & Chair (by Atomere)

10. Hidden Kitchen (by June He)

That Appliance Is One Smart Cookie

When most homeowners think of Smart Homes, they think high-tech electronics, sophisticated security systems and high installation costs. While this is generally true, many smart appliances can achieve smart home goals without breaking the bank.

Large Smart Home upgrades can require major restructuring to the home’s electrical system and can cost between $10,000 - $250,000, depending on how ‘smart’ the home is. But homeowners can begin converting to a Smart Home simply by purchasing Smart Home Appliances.

These appliances range in features and cost, but can offer homeowners convenience, more control, peace of mind, independence and even help save on monthly bills. By upgrading in small steps, homeowners can receive the benefits of a Smart Home without breaking the bank.

1. Beyond Internet Coffee Maker

It seems like a very small place to start, but even a coffee maker can be the first step towards a Smart Home. The Beyond Internet Coffee Maker merges with the internet to give homeowners control over when they want a cup of coffee.

It has a built in ‘Grind and Brew’ like most other coffee makers, but it can be programmed and rescheduled to brew coffee from any web browser. This luxury means fresh coffee will be ready when you are instead of having to drink old coffee that has been sitting in the warming mode.

2. Fisher and Paykel Active Smart Refrigerator

The Active Smart Refrigerator from Fisher and Paykel may look like a regular fridge but it offers much more than that. The main feature of this fridge is the Active Smart System which has two variable speed fans to provide faster cooling and heating throughout each level of the fridge and freezer. The system continually adjusts the flow of cold air based on daily use; making sure the temperature is at a safe degree for food freshness.

The Humidity Control System allows you to customize the humidity for each crisper drawer and the Variable Capacity Compressor allows for greater energy efficiency. The door also comes with an alarm to alert homeowners if the fridge door has been left open; another way to help reduce wasted energy and lower monthly bills. Everything can be controlled using the External Electronic Interface.

3. Whirlpool Centralpark Refrigerator

During CES 2008, Whirlpool unveiled their concept for an intelligent refrigerator that they believe will help unclutter consumers’ kitchens and maximize efficiency.

The Whirlpool Centralpark Refrigerator has a plug and play platform for consumer electronics that clears countertops and clutter from the front of the fridge. With the centralpark connection, homeowners will have an interchangeable connection point where they can connect their cellphone or photo frame. Homeowners can also connect iPods or digital music players, for music on demand while they are busy in the kitchen.

Beyond photos and music, there are several other add-ons available such as the Cozi Family Organizational Software that can help families manage schedules and tasks, as well as the Quartet Qnote Message Center by Acco Brands that offers a superior dry-erase writing surface that’s completely customizable.

4. Multimedia Hoods

The Imago+ Multimedia Hood from Faber worries less about energy efficiency and more about added convenience and entertainment. This steel/glass kitchen hood houses a 19-inch LCD TV with a 1,440 x 900 resolution and 850:1 contrast ratio. This TV has an analog and digital tuner, on board recipes, Internet, video call, multimedia player, webcam and USB input.

ILVE has their own version of a multimedia hood called VELA. It only comes with a 10-inch LCD TV built in, but also has a remote control and a RCA input/output for hooking up a cable box, DVD player, or game console.

With these multimedia hoods, homeowners can watch their favorite cooking show, receive a video call and keep an eye on their children in the next room.

5. The Ultimate Kitchen Combo

Rather than focusing on improving just one home appliance, John Lewis has decided to tackle them all and create the Ultimate Kitchen Combo. This combo is a 4-in-1 system that includes a wall mounted coffee machine, an electric oven, a steam oven, and a 19-inch LCD TV.

This kitchen-in-1 provides all the basic cooking necessities and surprisingly, looks incredibly sleek and uncluttered.

6. Demy Recipe Reader

For the homeowner who can’t afford purchasing new major appliances, the Demy Recipe Reader by Key Ingredient can still add intelligence to your kitchen. This 7-inch display touchscreen has storage for up to 2,500 recipes, three kitchen timers, a measurement conversion calculator, an ingredient substitution dictionary and USB connectivity for syncing with a PC. It’s also guaranteed ‘kitchen-safe’.

7. Verizon Hub Home Phone

Verizon Wireless has just launched an intelligent home phone called the Verizon Hub that’s designed to replace old fashioned home phones with a sophisticated home communication system that merges landline and wireless connectivity.

The Hub comes with a 7-inch touchscreen display that has the ability to sync your calendar, traffic, weather reports, and of course, contacts. The Hub allows for texting from your home phone for those text addicts and can even order pizza, provide maps and directions, and preview trailers for upcoming movies. The Hub uses your existing broadband connection and will work with current Verizon wireless subscribers.

8. Smart Meters

New to the US market, Smart Meters are an advanced electrical meter that will offer homeowners an entirely new way of managing their electricity use and monthly bills. Smart Meters will record the total household electricity consumption hour by hour and then send this information real-time to the utility company.

By doing this, Smart Meters will provide an economical way of measuring this information and allow price setting agencies to introduce new prices for consumption based on time of day or season. By billing customers based on how much electricity they use at certain times of day, it will force them to adjust consumption habits and be more responsive to market prices. These meters will also help control the rapid increase of electricity prices and reduce the need to purchase energy from higher priced sources.

Currently California is looking to install 5.3 million Smart Meters between 2009 and 2012. It’s also hoped that this same process can be applied to natural gas and water consumption.

9. Smart Thermostats

Smart Thermostats are interactive ‘communicating’ thermostats that can ‘talk’ with each other and help reduce unnecessary use of the home’s heating and cooling systems. They can manage and adjust the home’s energy consumption based on current prices and necessity.

Smart Thermostats can even be programmed to allow homeowners to create heating and cooling schedules based on time of day or if the home is vacant or occupied. If you have zoned heating and cooling, these thermostats can be programmed to heat certain areas of the home at certain times.

By programming a Smart Thermostat to work around your schedule, homeowners can save as much as 30 percent annually. These thermostats also use the home’s heating and cooling more efficiently which has a positive impact on the environment and on the homeowner’s monthly energy bills. EcoBee’s Smart Thermostat promises to pay for itself in energy cost savings by the first year and a half of use.

10. Smart Home Lighting

In the US, home lighting accounts for 20% of all electricity consumed and 50% of that is wasted on inefficient light sources, such as unoccupied rooms. By using Smart Home Lighting, homeowners can use indoor and outdoor lighting more efficiently which will help conserve energy and save them money.

One of the most common and easiest forms of Smart Home Lighting is a dimmer switch or a dimmer module. By programming dimmer switches to turn on and off only when needed, they can potentially save up to 60% more energy and make your bulbs last up to 20 times longer. Homeowners can even add motion sensors that automatically turn off the lights when no one is in the room for increased efficiency.

There are several areas homeowners can use Smart Home products to improve their life, and Smart Appliances are only one part. The home automation market continues to grow every year and new products are being developed that are more affordable, more efficient, and more convenient.

For more information:

What Is A Smart Home?

Control4

SmartHome Solutions

Smart Home Is Still Looking For A Market

Home Repair Do and Don’t

This repair tip is definitely one of those “sounded good at the time” moments that you’ll immediately regret.

If you’ve found yourself in desperate need of doing a load of dishes in your dishwasher but realized you forgot to pick up some dishwasher detergent with last week’s groceries, resist the urge to do what comes to mind.

Repair Don’t: Do not substitute your regular dish detergent for your dishwasher detergent. On the surface, it makes sense – both products clean dishes so it seems reasonable to throw a tablespoon or two of regular dish detergent in your dishwasher and save you an extra run to the store.

Unfortunately, this will cause you a whole lot of trouble and a whole lot of extra mess.

Liquid dish detergents are not designed for use in a dishwasher and as a result, will bubble up too quickly and overflow on to your kitchen floor.

Repair Do: Only use ‘low-sud’ products in your dishwasher that are made specifically for dishwasher use.

Unfortunately the moral of this story is if you’ve unexpectedly run out of dishwasher detergent, your best bet is to run to the store and pick up some. You’ll be thankful you did.

9 Out Of This World Home Theaters

Do THX subwoofers and 18-inch floor standing speakers make your heart race? Does the thought of watching T’Pol or 7 of 9 on a 140-inch wide screen HDTV give you shivers? Is there anything better than watching the Death Star blow up while being nestled between a surround sound system powered by 8 amplifiers?

What if it were in your very own home theater? Any video junkie can dream but these people are living proof that hi-tech, out-of-this-world home theater happiness really does exist. Try not to drool too much.

1. The Next Generation

Designed by: Acoustic Innovations

4 years of planning and six months of work resulted in this impressive Star Trek home theater complete with ready room and private bar. Yeah, you heard right - private bar. The main attraction, the theater, was modeled after the NCC-1701D Enterprise from ‘The Next Generation’ series and is chalk full of realistic sound effects, motion-activated air-lock doors and can even simulate a Romulan attack.

It was also named the Top Theme Theater in 2007 (we’re not surprised). If that isn’t enough to get your pointy ears tingling check out these juicy photos.

Features:

• JBL S100IO Synthesis Interconnect Kits
• JBL S800 20Channel THX Power Amplifiers
• JBL SDEC2500A THX Digital EQ/Crossover
• JBL SDP-40 THX Digital Surround Processor/System Controller
• JBL K2 Synthesis Hercules System
• Algolith Mosquito HDMI 3D MPEG Noise Reducer
• Gefen EXT-HD-441 4 HDMI x1 DVI HD Switcher
• Key Digital KD-MSW8×3 Component & RGBHV Matrix Switcher
• JBL K2S1000DG 3-way Dual 10-inch Hercules Center Speakers
• JBL K2S9800DG 3-way 15-inch Hercules Floorstanding Speakers
• JBL S1A Dual 8-inch Dipole Ambient THX Surrounds Speakers
• JBL S1S-EX 18-inch THX Subwoofers

2. The Matrix

Designed by: Genesis Audio

Morpheus said you must see it to believe it, and in this 33 x 19 x 11 ft home theater, seeing it will be no problem. Genesis president, Bill Anderson (Mr. Anderson… coincidence?) and interior designer Lezlie Trujillo created this futuristic Matrix home theater that’s packed full of acoustical products to achieve optimum performance.

This theater was also the winning entry for Cedia’s Electronic Lifestyles Award for Best Home Theater Level V: over $900,000.00. That’s right, this baby cost nearly 1 million dollars to make, but you know it’s totally worth it.

Features:

• Runco DTV-1101 Video Projector
• 4-way Screen by Stewart Filmscreen
• Faroudja DVP-5000 Video Processor
• Escient Power Play DVD Management System
• Revel Surround Sound Speaker System
• Linn Klimax Mono-Block Power Amplifiers
• RPG Class A QRD Formedffusor
• RPG Diffsorptive Binary Amplitude Home Theater Panel

3. Star Wars ‘Death Star’

Designed by: Dillon Works

Arguably the best Sci-Fi film series ever, Star Wars inspired this awesome home theater that looks like the control deck of the Death Star. Any Star Wars fan will tell you it looks pretty accurate and that’s probably because it was designed by Doug Chiang, the lead designer of Episodes I and II.

Also helping to add some authentic touches were the owners, Vic Wertz and Lisa Stevens, who used to run the Official Star Wars Fan Club. It wasn’t hard for them to get their hands on some Star Wars memorabilia, considering they have a 3,000 square ft museum filled with items like the Millennium Falcon model used in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and the lightsaber used by Ewan McGregor in Episode I. Yeah, we’re jealous too.

Features:

• Hans Solo in Carbonite Door
• CinemaTech Valentino Chairs
• DirecTc HR10-250 HD TiVo
• Extron SW4 RGBHV RGB Switcher
• Extron RGB468XT Gaming Interface
• Creston Theater Remote
• JVC SR-S365U S-VHS VCR
• Lexicon RT-10 Universal DVD Player
• Meridian DSP8000 Front Speakers
• Meridian DSP6000 Side & Rear Speakers
• Meridian DSP5500 HC Center Speaker
• Meridian 861 Reference Preamp
• Meridian 800 Reference DVD Player
• Meridian Audio & Video Cables
• Pioneer CLD-D704 Laserdisc Player
• Runco VX5C LT Anamorphic Lens
• Runco VX5C 3-Chip DLP Projector
• Runco VX5 Outboard Processor
• Sony SAT-T60 TiVo
• Spaun SMS5802NF HD Multiswitch
• Stewart VeLux DeLux ST130 Screen

4. Kipnis’ Outer Limits

Designed by: Kipnis Studios

It would be impossible to talk about the most amazing, high-tech, out-of-this-world home theaters without salivating over Jeremy Kipnis’ $6,000,000 Outer Limit Home Theater. The grandeur of this elaborate theater isn’t just a reflection of what money can buy but rather a love of video and painstaking attention to detail.

When creating his home theater, Kipnis wanted the “absolute best picture and sound” and refused to compromise on vision. He used only the best, state of the art equipment to create what he believes is the ‘greatest show on earth’, and we have to agree.

If you’ve ever wondered exactly what $6 million can buy, the answer is one ground shaking, ear shattering, kick ass home theater.

Features:

• Sony SRX-S110 Profession Video Projector
• Stewart 18 x 10 foot Snowmatte 1.0 Gain Laboratory-Grade Motion Picture Screen
• Pioneer HLD-X0 Hi-Vision HDTV MUSE Laserdisc Player
• Mark Levinson N° 51 DVD/CD Media Player
• SATA Drive (72 HDTV Hours Total)
• JVC HMDH-5U D-VHS Recorder
• Toshiba HD-Xa1 HD Player
• Sony PlayStation 3 Gaming Console
• Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Player
• Theta Digital Generation VIII 32-bit  8x Oversampling Dual Processors
• Mark Levinson N° 33h Amplifiers
• Crown Macro Reference Gold Amplifiers
• McIntosh MC-2102 Amplifiers
• Snell THX Music & Cinema reference LCR-2800 Center-Channel Speakers
• MuRata ES103A Super Tweeters
• Snell THX Music & Cinema Reference Towers
• Snell 1800 THX Music & Cinema Reference Subwoofers

5. Star Trek USS Enterprise

Designed by: Cinema Design Privee

Gary Sekulow and his wife are two people any trekkie will envy with a deep, fiery passion after seeing their realistic and authentic Star Trek Home Theater. With technical advice from Rick Sternbach, senior illustrator on Star Trek, the Sekulow’s didn’t just throw some paint on the walls and a few buttons here and there.

They actually used real props from Star Trek including two original consoles, backlit graphic panels, wall panels from the USS Enterprise and, probably the most coveted, the Captain’s Chair, to deck out a theater that would make James T. Kirk proud. To really help set the mood, they even added a customized Stardome overhead complete with the Milky Way galaxy and shooting stars.

Features:

• Runco 1100 Ultra 1080P Projector
• Stewart Curved Micro-Perf 100” screen
• Denon THX 4800 Receiver
• Lumagen Vision HDQ Video Processor
• Monster Reference PowerCenter Line Conditioner HT 32500
• Motorola DCT 3412 HDTV Receiver
• Lutron Grafik Eye Light Controllers
• Toshiba HD-DVD HD-XA2
• Sony PlayStation 3 with Blu-ray
• Sony 300 DVD Changer
• Adcom GFA-2532 Amp
• Atlanta Technology 378 THX Center Left Right and Sub
• Triad Surround Bronze in Wall Speakers
• Crestron 1700 Touchscreen and Controllers
• Dell Media Center with 5 17-inch LCD Flat Panel Monitor Screens
• Buttkicker Tactical Sound/LFE Motion Producers

6. The Bat Cave

Designed by: DC Audio Video Systems

Aside from Bruce Wayne and Alfred, who else would want to have a bat cave home theater? Why, a retired naturalist, that’s who. DC Audio Video Systems President, Nick Mark, was hired by the retiree to design and build a home theater that looked like a real bat cave.

After spending time researching caves in Vermont, the client thought her theater, already located in her cellar, would be a perfect fit for the nocturnal theme. Complete with fake bats and stalactites hanging from the ceiling, this theater is about as unique as it gets when it comes to home theater themes.

But don’t let the title of ‘retired naturalist’ fool you. She pulled out all the stops and decked this gothic lair out with a $36,000 projector, 8 black, motorized leather recliners and 110” Electriscreen.

Features:

• Faroudja DVP5000 Video Processor
• Rane THX44 for Equalization
• Triad Silver THX Speakers
• B&K Reference 50 Audio Processor
• B&K Reference 7270 Audio Amplifier
• Motorized 110” 16:9 Electriscreen
• Extron Matrix Switching and Distribution
• Pioneer DV79 DVD Player
• Sony G90 Projector (1080p 2500 x 2000 CRT projector)
• Crestron STX-1700 Control System
• Aprilaire Remote Temp and Humidity Sensors to HVAC Control
• LiteTouch LC5000 System for Lighting Control
• BTX Custom Manufactured Drapes
• Active Thermal Management Push-Pull Units for System Cooling
• Monster Cable UPS and Surge Products for Power Management
• Monster Cable Custom Patch Cords with Compression Connectors

7. Revenge of the Sith

Designed by: CDGI

The Force is definitely strong with this ‘Revenge of The Sith’ inspired home theater designed by CDGI in partner with DreamSpace. Owner Steve Simon had originally wanted to convert his garage into a theater themed with his Star Wars memorabilia but soon realized this would not do the epic saga justice, and decided to go to the dark side.

Inspired by the climatic moment when Chancellor Palpatine invites Anakin Skywalker to his office overlooking Imperial City, Steve decided to recreate that infamous red office complete with a 3D rendering of the Imperial City backdrop that can be seen through one of four ‘windows’.

Everything was designed to precise detail and the project became a labor of love that took a year and a half to build. Now that’s a dedicated fan!

Features:

• Anthem Statement D2 Processor
• Anthem P5 Multichannel Amplifier
• RTI T3 Universal Controller
• Lutron Grafik Eye Lighting
• Middle Atlantice AXSX Equipment Ravck
• Marantz VP11S2 DLP Projector
• Vutect 103-inch XFH Screen
• Velodyne DD10 Subwoofer
• B&W HTM2 Center Channel
• B&W 802 Front Channels
• B&W DS8 Side Channels
• B&W SCMS Rear Surrounds

8. DIY Star Trek

Designed by: Gary Reighn

It’s pretty easy to design and build an incredible home theater homage to one of the greatest sci-fi series of all time when you’ve got millions of dollars to blow on top-of-the-line equipment, memorabilia and theater designers. But what if you’ve only got $15,000 and your own two hands?

That’s just what Philadelphia homeowner Gary Reighn did when he designed and built this home theater inspired by the Star Trek command bridge. Although this theater isn’t the biggest or the most expensive Star Trek-themed theater out there, it is undoubtedly one of the most impressive considering Gary built it entirely from scratch all by himself.

He crafted all the space-view ports, used $50.00 office recliners (that he customized with cup holders) and even made the 102-inch screen using matte white screen vinyl and steel framing painted black. By building this Star Trek theater, Gary truly went where no man has gone before.

Features:

• High Definition Sony LCD Projector (720p resolution)
• Polk Audio Speakers
• 12-inch Velodyne Subwoofer
• Yamaha Received
• Bravo DVD Player
• Phillips Pronto Remote
• Bass Shakers
• 102-inch Screen.

9. Sci-Fi Tribute

Designed by: Escom

Affectionately described as a ‘spaceship transporting dangerous aliens’, Dr. David Winn’s $100,000 home theater is a tribute to all things horror and sci-fi. After collecting movie memorabilia from his favorite horror and space flicks, David decided the logical thing to do was build a 25 x 35 ft home theater to showcase them all.

With portholes to gaze out over the galaxy and a 144-inch screen, there’s certainly a lot to please the eyes, but what makes this theater so unique is the way David recreates a real life horror movie using his full-sized alien killers. With homages to the Predator and the Creature of the Black Lagoon, David has creatures emerging from the ceilings and the couch to give his movie-goers a scare.

He even uses some special effects to make things really chilling, like when the room suddenly fills with steam and an alien lurches out of the wall. This home theater is a blood-curdling, sci-fi wonderland that would make any space junkie drool.

Features:

• Devon AVR 4306 7.1 Receiver
• Monster Power HTS 3600
• Microsoft Xbox 360
• Optoma DLP HD2+ Projector
• Polk 6 Speakers
• Polk Center-Channel Speaker
• Sony PlayStation
• Proficient S12 Subwoofer
• Toshiba HD DVD Player
• Yamaha 400 Watt Amplifiers (Side, Front & Center)
• Yamaha MX55 4-Channel Amplifier
• Ethernet Hub
• Laptop with 3Planesoft Screensaver

[ElectronicHouse]
[RPG]
[CEPro]

Bring The Outdoors In With Sculptured Wood Furniture

Looking to add a bit of nature to your home? Do you prefer a natural, earthy look instead of a sleek, modern design?

Homeowners looking to decorate their home with elements of the outdoors can sometimes find it frustrating to find unique pieces that will reflect their creativity and style without looking too contemporary.

If you’re having trouble finding the right pieces, check out the amazing sculpted furniture by David Delthony. Meticulously crafted from wood, these beautiful and polished pieces of furniture will add an organic and breathtaking element to any room in your home. Check out his website for more information.

Design Pick - Concealed Doors from Space San Diego

Surfing the web, day after day, I come across a lot of very creative and space-efficient home designs. While many are worthy of talking about, one in particular got me really excited. It’s the ‘concealed door’ from Space San Diego, a space planning and interior design company.

Concealed doors convert any existing door in your home into a fully functional built-in bookcase, while still allowing you to access to the room. This idea is not only space-efficient and offers an incredible way to increase storage space, but it’s also really freakin’ cool. It’s like a personal secret passageway right in your own home! Check out more pictures and details at their website.

Decorating Tip # 5 - DIY Artwork

Gone are the days of dropping $100s of dollars on expensive artwork to decorate our walls. Now we can adorn them with artwork we made with our very own hands and just a few basic tools.

Better Homes and Garden has several tutorials on DIY artwork so easy anyone can be a Picasso - even if you don’t think you’ve got a creative bone in your body.

Check out this stylish artwork made with medium-density fiberboard and paint or this simple, modern piece made using art canvas and foam cups.

It can be as simple as peel stickers, one solid, accent color, your own photography and so much more. Almost anything can become an eye-catching art piece, so show off your personality and style with some homemade art!

Color Your Home Happy

Not long ago, I did a post on New Year’s resolutions for your home, where I discussed how to make yourself feel better by making your surroundings happier. I briefly touched on the importance of color and how different hues can make you feel certain emotions.

Since the influence of color is a pretty powerful thing, I thought I’d come back and discuss it a little further.

The symbolism of color can actually be a very complex topic but I’m going to keep it light today and just talk about how color can influence your home.

When picking out a color scheme or palette to decorate with, it’s smart to do a little research and understand what the colors you’re choosing mean.

Color can pretty much be broken down into two categories: cool and warm. Let’s take a look at each of these groups and what affect these colors can have.

Cool Colors

Cool colors tend to be very calming and soothing.

Much like the colors you would find outdoors, like the blue sky and green grass, cool colors also have a strong association with nature. Depending upon the shade, cool colors can also give off a cold, impersonal feeling so you need to be careful when choosing a blue palette to decorate your home.

Try choosing deeper blues with a hint of red, deep navy blues or opt to add dashes of warm colors throughout your palette to keep it from giving you the shivers.

Now let’s take a look at what feelings humans often associate with cool colors:

Blue – Strong, trustworthy, dependable, calming, cooling.

Purple – Royalty, elegance, power, uplifting, calming, mystery.

Lavender – Graceful, feminine, elegance, uplifting.

Green – Soothing, relaxing, tranquil, refreshing, peaceful.

Turquoise – Refreshing, sophisticated, youthfulness.

Gray - Practical, calm, cool, cloudy, unsettling.

Silver – Playful, modern, expensive, graceful.

White – Purity, cleanliness, innocence, peaceful, simplicity.

Warm Colors

Warm colors have the opposite effect of cool colors.

Warmer tones tend to generate strong feelings of excitement, love or even anger and can over power cooler colors. You can tone down the power of a warm color by opting for a paler shade such as yellow or pink.

Keep in mind that warm colors appear larger when paired with a cool colors, even when used in equal amounts.

Red – Love, anger, hunger, excitement, energy, confidence.

Pink – Sweetness, love, creativity, purity.

Yellow – Sunshine, warmth, joy, cheerfulness, comfort, liveliness, happiness.

Gold – Rich, extravagant, wealth, cheerful, traditional.

Orange – Energy, warmth, creativity, cheerfulness, hunger.

Brown – Natural, earthy, reliability, neutrality, clarity, freshness, traditional.

Beige – Earthy, relaxing, simplicity, calming.

Black – Powerful, sophistication, elegance, strength, night, depression.

Ivory – Softness, earthy, purity, cleanliness.

If you’d like to use a color like gray or black, where there can be negative associations such as an unsettling feeling, be sure to mix it up with more uplifting or warmer colors to keep it from being too drab and depressing.

Knowing what kind of vibes these colors can give off, you’ll be better able to create the exact feeling you want throughout your home. The best way to make sure you’re using a complimentary color scheme is to use a color wheel.

Choose a color you would like to work with and then choose one of its complimentary or analogous colors. Complimentary colors are those on the opposite side of each other on the color wheel and make great choices for rooms where you will be entertaining. Analogous colors are those that lay side by side. These colors make more peaceful combinations and are perfect for bedrooms and bathrooms.

As we discussed in my previous post, the way your home is decorated can have a strong influence on you, your family, and any of your guests. Understanding how colors work on you and with each other, you can easily and dramatically create whatever mood you would like throughout your entire home.

For further reading and a little colorful fun, check out:

The Meanings of Color

Symbolism of Color and Colors That Go Together

Color Quiz

What’s Your Personality Color?

Current Events – 93 Yr Old Freezes To Death In His Own Home

Everyone knows that a man’s home is supposed to be his castle, his refuge and his sanctuary from the rest of the world. Unfortunately this was not the case for 93-year-old Marvin Schur of Bay City Michigan. Mr. Schur was found frozen to death in his home on January 17, 2009; four days after a municipal power company limited his electricity usage.

Mr. Schur was in arrears to the power company for over $1000 so the power company installed a “limiter” on Mr. Schur’s house. A “limiter” restricts the amount of power that gets to the home and blows out like a fuse if consumption is too high. The power to the home can be restored when the device is reset. However, no one personally explained to Mr. Schur how the limiter worked. Therefore once the power went out, it never got turned back on.

Bay City officials have stated that limiters will be removed from all homes while the city’s electricity policy is being reviewed. Bay City Mayor, Charles Brunner, wants to make sure nothing like this happens again. Mr. Bruner said that the city has never had a problem with the use of limiters before and the power company only uses them after multiple notices are mailed out to residents of the home.

While I am glad that the power company policy is being reviewed, there is another serious matter here that is not being discussed. Many seniors living on their own have no support system in place. It is not my desire to infringe on senior’s rights, however, if Mr. Schur had someone visiting him on a daily basis, the power outage would have been reported within 24 hours and his death by hypothermia could have been prevented.

Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6740934&page=1
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28858971/

Home Repair Do and Don’t

You’ve finally broken down in a moment of weakness and decided to clean your fridge. It’s one of those chores that nobody likes to do, but inevitably, no matter who you are, you will finally catch a whiff of month-old spilt milk, dried up tomato sauce and a bad jar of mayonnaise that got lost in the back and decide today is the day.

While you’re worrying about the possible illness you could contract from rotten food you didn’t even know you had, there’s one other thing you should remember that will save you time, money, and a lot of unnecessary frustration.

Repair Don’t: Don’t clean the glass refrigerator shelves while they are still in the fridge, especially with hot water. This is a sure fire way to break it and spend the rest of the afternoon trying to find replacement parts.
Repair Do: Do remove the shelves from the fridge and let them adjust to room temperature. Once they’ve warmed up, clean them with warm, soapy water and replace them in your fridge once dry.

This is one of the most common, and unnecessary, repair mishaps many homeowners encounter. Save yourself the extra work and frustration by remembering today’s Home Repair Do and Don’t.

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