Hazardous paints

With so many paint products in the market today you can now choose environmentally friendly products relatively easy.  Benjamin Moore now produces VOC- free paints.  These paints are just as durable as older paints but have low VOC emissions and reduce impact on your indoor air quality.  Paint that is not environmentally friendly releases harmful chemicals into the air.  These chemicals can cause headaches, nausea and other health problems.  The chemicals continue to be released into the air even after the paint has dried. 

When you paint you should always have the area well ventilated and remove all pillows, cushions, curtains, blankets and rugs from the room.  These soft materials absorb the chemicals released into the air. 

If you want to help the environment you should be extremely careful when disposing of paint.  Throwing it out or dumping it down the drain is extremely harmful to the environment as the chemicals are going into the earth’s groundwater.   You could keep leftover paint and use it to paint accessories for your room or donate it to a charity. Habitat for Humanity charities are always looking for donated materials.

Inexpensive Ways To Add Character To Your Home

Better Homes & Gardens

I am always on the look out for ways to update your home without spending a fortune. Better Homes and Gardens had some good ideas with wallpaper.  Cut out 4 different patterns and frame to make an art arrangement.

 

Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens

I love the wallpaper used with these white cupboards.  It adds some wow factor to an otherwise boring room.

Choosing A Paint Colour

It can be very overwhelming to choose a paint colour for a room in your home.  There are millions of colours to choose from.  To help narrow down your options I have listed some ideas below:

Colours are separated into two groups.  Warm colour and cool colours.

Most rooms schemes have at least three colours.  One for the upholstery, one for the walls and a more vibrant colour for the pillows and accessories. 

Look to nature for inspiration.  If the colours look good outside they will look good in your home.  Colours of an autumn field, (red, orange and brown) would be a warm, cozy colour scheme.  Colours in a hydrangea flower, (violet, navy and green) would be a nice relaxing cool colour scheme.

The amount of daylight a room gets also should be considered.  If the room is mostly used a night you may want to choose a warmer colour that looks great by lamplight.  A cool colour looks better in a room that gets of daylight. A really bright colour will make a sunlight room seem very warm.

If you like neutral colour schemes remember to include lots of texture with curtain material, pillows, baskets, wood…

At the end of the day remember that the wall colour is only the backdrop for all of your beloved belongings.

White trim is usually standard in a room but if you want to be a little different you could use softer ivories, creams or soft grayed whites.  Also,  you may want to think of painting the ceiling something different,  not bright white.  An off white is better or a colour that will blend better with the wall colour.

Make sure to buy a good quality paint.  Cheap paint does not look good in the long run and takes more coats to cover the wall.

Colour Therapy

When deciding what colours to use in your space it is good to know what moods they can evoke.  Blue and greens used in a bedroom are calming and lower blood pressure.  They can improve the quality of your slumber.

Red is used in workspaces and dining areas as it stimulates brain activity and appetite.

Violet is associated with royalty and wealth.  It is used to symbolize power.  Violet suggests the owner is confident and stylish.  It is also good to use in a room for meditation but is not a good colour for someone depressed.

Yellow is associated with warmth, intellect, imagination and encourages creativity.

Orange encourages socialization and is good when used in gathering spaces.

If you have a room with poor lighting, warm colours will make the room appear brighter.  When used in darker tones the room will feel smaller.  Warm colours also reflect light so the room will feel hotter.  They look better by lamplight in a room used at night.

Cool colours absorb light so the room will feel cooler.  Cool colours will expand a small space. They also look best in a room used during the day such as a breakfast room or a sunroom.

A long narrow room can be visually reproportioned by painting the two end walls a darker colour.  This will draw the two ends of the room toward the middle.

Cottage Style Decorating

Painted furniture, light breezy fabrics, beautiful greens, blues and natural woven elements all contribute to the cottage style.  By mixing simple and sophisticated together you get a timeless look that will never go out of style.  I find this style is so relaxing, clutterfree.

Coastal Living

House Beautiful

Improving Indoor Air Quality

Plants are very beneficial to your health as well as they add a decorative flair to a room.  Plants remove VOCs and other chemicals from the air, remove carbon dioxide and add fresh oxygen into our homes. Plants should be 8 inches in size or larger.  Spider plants are more effective in removing toxins.  Other types that work well are ivy, dragon trees and rubber plants.

If you don’t like plants simply open the windows in the winter from time to time to let the fresh air in.

Natural Cleaning Products

I thought I would share this information I learned with you.  Natural cleaning products are good for the environment.  Here are a few recipes:

Evaporation Cleaner= 1 cup Rubbing Alchohol + 1 cup Water + 1 tbsp. of vinegar or non-sudsing Ammonia

All-purpose Cleaner = 1 cup Vinegar + 1 cup Water

Abrasive Cleaner = Baking Soda

Soap/scum remover = Undiluted White Vinegar

Furniture Polish = 1 cup olive oil + 1/2 cup lemon juice