Home Decoration

Some smart decisions and a good command over color selection can help anyone can give that exclusive touch to his/her home décor, with the help of exterior paints. A dilapidated building can spice up with life, if coated with some skilful strokes of fresh paint. Paint is actually an amalgamation of color pigments, binders, liquids and additives. If properly applied, a quality exterior paint will not only enhance the air of a home, but also protect it from harmful environmental factors for years. Bring out the unique charm of your home with the home exterior paint selection tips given below. They will also help you in choosing the right exterior paint.

Features of a Quality Exterior Paint

• Blister Resistant
• Chalking Resistant
• Color Resistant
• Good Hiding Power

Deciding Factors for Exterior Paint Selection

• The surface that is to be painted is of utmost importance, before deciding on the type of paint you would like to go for. For e.g. wooden surfaces and trims increase/decrease with seasonal changes. So, it is important to choose a paint that expands and contracts with the wood, without showing any crevices or cracks. An elastic paint, with a satin touch, is suitable for such surfaces.
• Weather changes are also to be taken into account while choosing an exterior paint for your home. Different regions are susceptible to different weather extremes. Some areas experience heavy rainfall, whereas some areas experience excessive humidity that affects the exterior house paint. Consider the specific needs of the region and see that the paint fulfills all the weather demands.
• While choosing an exterior paint, you can either go for solvent-based (oil or alkyd) paints or water-based (latex) paints. Latex paints are comparatively easier to clean, as the liquid is water (the liquid in alkyd paints is mineral spirits) and also dry quicker than oil paints. But they might not be suitable for places with hot weather conditions and frequent sunshine and UV exposure.
• The sheen or light reflecting capability of paint is also a strong deciding factor for an exterior paint. The glossier the paint is, the easier it is to clean the surface. Select high-gloss paint for door jambs and window sheaths. A semi-gloss paint is suitable for external trimwork. Low-sheen or flat paints, on the other hand, camouflages imperfections and denting and are apposite for scratched metal siding.
• Before you paint your house, it is also important to decide if you require the application of a primer. Primer provides a uniform surface and helps the paint to properly stick to the surface. It is advisable to use a primer while painting wood or while repainting over bright colors. Consult the salesperson or follow the directions given in the user manual before you start your painting session.

Just get your painting rollers, and some colors that go with your mood and personality, and paint a whole new world for yourself.

After the potatoes have been picked, they are stored for a number of weeks. Thereafter, they enter the period of dormancy. When this period ends, the potatoes start to sprout. It is during the dormant period that potatoes are brought to the market, to be sold. The dormancy period of the potatoes has been known to last from one to, as many as, eight weeks. However, the lasting time of the potatoes depends upon the conditions in which they have been stored. Though it is a usual rule that potatoes should be stocked at a lower temperature, there are a number of tips that should be followed to ensure that they are stored properly. Read on to know how to store potatoes at home.

Storing Guide for Potatoes

We have provided the best ways in which potatoes can be stored at home and made to last a long time, without becoming sweet, turning green or sprouting. 

• Before storing the potatoes, put them in a paper bag with holes in it. Avoid using plastic bags, as they tend to increases condensation and thus, lead to development of mold.
• Potatoes should always be stored at a place which is cool, dark and has lots of ventilation. One of the best options is to store the potatoes in a root cellar.
• Avoid storing the potatoes in a pantry, as it may lead to their sprouting and dehydration.
• Potatoes should not be in the refrigerator, especially below a temperature of 7 deg C. This is because below this temperature they develop a sweet taste and get darkened when they are cooked.
• The ideal temperature at which potatoes should be stored is somewhere around 7- 10 deg C.
• Never ever store potatoes along with onions. When the two of them are put together, they produce certain gases that spoil both of them.
• Mature potatoes should not be stored for more than 2 months, while the new ones should be consumed within 1 week.
• Sweet potatoes should be stored for a maximum period of one week only, since they are very delicate.
• Never ever keep the potatoes in direct sunlight. Infact, keep them away from prolonged exposure to light. If exposed to light for too long, they become green, develop a bitter taste and might become toxic.
• Keep on checking the stored potatoes every few days. The moment you see a soft, shriveled or sprouted potato, remove it from the storage area.

It may be on your mind right about now — just what to take and what to leave behind as you pack for college. You may have already gotten a lot of advice from your friends, your parents, your school, and your relatives.

But ultimately it’s up to you how you’ll live in your new “home away from home” and how you’ll try to decorate it. Comfort in this small space will be one way to make a tiny dorm room feel homey and inviting.

Here’s our list of items that will make any room more comfortable.

1. A big rug will soften the look and feel of hard institutional flooring and make it more inviting to lounge or exercise on the floor.

2. A featherbed mattress topper or mattress pad can really improve the comfort of a dorm bed. They’re fluffy and comfy, and available in either feathers or fiberfill.

3. Good lighting is essential. Have focused task lighting at the desk, by a chair, and near the bed, so you can read and work anywhere.

4. A comfortable place to sit is a must. It can be a side chair, loveseat, or even pile of pillows, but will be great for studying, lounging, or talking on the phone.

5. A BedLounge is a great chair-lounger-reading pillow built with an ultra-lightweight, internal Active Frame. It can support an adult’s weight and can bend, move, flex and customize itself to the user’s body shape and comfort needs. It even has a headrest and armrests. You shouldn’t go away from home without it!

6. Closet accessories are made to solve storage problems. Evaluate your space, then choose from peg racks, over-the-door shoe racks, belt and tie holders, and hanging shelves to organize your clothes and accessories.

7. Large body pillows are great for sleeping. But you can also use them to turn your bed into a “sofa” or for extra floor lounging.

8. Handled laundry and shower totes are made to organize and carry just about everything. Keep a big one on the floor of your closet to collect laundry, and use another to hold bathroom supplies. Then grab and go!

9. A large bulletin board or white board is essential for notes, photos, schedules, and assignments. It can help you get organized, show off mementos, and serve as a message center.

10. Filing space — another must-have . Whether you use a file crate or full-size cabinet, it will go a long way in organizing your completed schoolwork, letters from home, insurance papers, pay stubs, tax info, scholarship applications, and more.

11. Wall Decor can be another touch of home. Use artwork to reinforce your room theme or highlight special interests… make a collage out of favorite photos (using color photocopies)… hang favorite posters — whatever feels like “home” to you. A full length mirror is another wonderful convenience. Use it to check your outfit and decorate the edges with photos, tickets, and memorabilia.

Make a dorm room your “own” and you’ll love living there! You might not even miss Mom’s cooking so much!

Dorm Room Decorating Ideas
Summer is here and college students everywhere will soon be headed back to school. And besides worrying about classes, schedules, clothes, and transportation, now they’ve got to think about decorating a dorm room as well.

Confused? Overwhelmed? Excited? You’re not alone! Read on — help is a few clicks away with these articles from About.

Where can you buy dorm room decor?
Some online stores cater primarily to students , while others offer a general selection of merchandise as well as special dorm decorating departments in the summer.

There are also many other websites that have interesting products , storage solutions, and bedding patterns that may also fit your budget and decorating desires.

Ready to begin? Grab a tall cool glass of lemonade, and window shop to your heart’s content.

Hold off buying anything until you have a good idea of your space limitations, any prohibited items (check with your school), and until you have an overall plan in mind for the room. You’ll find some really helpful dorm room advice from a mom with two college kids in our article on dorm room organization.

In the meantime, check out some of these sites to see some of the colorful, functional, and fun products designed especially for students.

Bed Bath & Beyond - Shop in their summer “Shop for College” section with products categorized for sleeping, washing, eating, and studying. Take advantage of the a handy “pack and hold” service so you can buy it now and have it shipped directly to school as soon as they will accept your packages. What a great idea!

Even if you’re not a Martha Stewart fan you may like these coordinated collections of bedding and bath products, including fresh plaids, solids, and prints.

Aromatherapy refers to the use of selected fragrant substances as oils, lotions, inhalants and other forms to affect the mood of an individual and promote his or her health. In home, we can make use of these tips while bathing in bathrooms and feel fresh for the whole day and even get rid of all those bugs, insects and cockroaches in hidden corners of our homes. Today, fragrant aromatherapy candles or a bag of aromatherapic potpourri is quite in vogue and are known for their calming and stimulating effects and are quite effective as energizers too. Make sure that you are not allergic to any of the substances used here before you make use of them. Here are some aromatic therapeutic solutions you can use for your home:

• Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted out of fragrant plants by compressing them. They are either inhaled or mixed with bath water to affect the mood as desired. They are also used to keep away insects, freshen up clothes and polish furniture.
• Essential oils get absorbed through our skin in our body and can heal us by stimulating specific areas of our brain, whether they are mixed with bath water or used for massaging our body.
• A healthy spray that protects your houseplants and garden can be prepared by adding 6 to 8 drops of the mixture in a gallon of water prepared by mixing together lavender and thyme oils. Thyme oil in water helps to grow healthier cabbage and cauliflower while basil oil favor growth of broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes. Yarrow oil for cucumbers, chamomile for onions and carrot extract for lettuce are a blessing for your kitchen garden.
• Add 2 tablespoons of soap dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water to two cups of turpentine and one cup of melted natural beeswax and then add 10 drops of cedar wood, cypress or sandalwood oil to make a great-looking furniture polish that can be used for all wood finishes.
• For the fresh smelling clothes, throw a cloth with two drops of bergamot, lavender, neroli, cedar wood, petit grain and sweet orange oils in the dryer with them.
• Mix about 6 drops of lavender, lemongrass, citronella and peppermint oils in one cup of water to prepare a room spray that can rid us of mosquitoes, ants and cockroaches.
• Mix together citronella oil, cedar wood oil, garlic and clothes freshener and put a couple of its drops in the collar of your pet without diluting it. It gets rid of the fleas in the fur of your pets and do not harm them a bit.
• Mix together eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, tea tree, lemon and marjoram oils. To immune yourself and your family against colds, make a room spray by adding six drops of the preparation per cup of water or adding 4 to 9 drops of it in the water of a humidifier.
• Mix together lemon, bergamot, lavender, sweet orange, oregano and thyme oils and mix 8 drops of it in a liter of warm water to use a bathroom freshener. You can also use it as a cleaner by pouring 2 to 3 drops of undiluted mixture on a wet sponge and wipe down all surfaces using wash water. Add more oil to the sponge when necessary.
• Pour a few drops of undiluted peppermint and spearmint oils near the living areas, edges of the ceiling and other holes to drive off mice and other bugs from the home

For budget home décor and ‘Do-it-yourself’ home décor projects, it is essential to have a toolbox that stores all the necessary items that you will need while finishing the job. Here is the checklist that you can use to arrange for tools that you will need for decorating your home:

• A step stool,
• A toolbox or caddy to store your things,
• Adhesives such as glue guns and sticks, spray adhesive can, staple gun with extra staple boxes, rubber bands, plastic twist ties, fusible interfacings, sewing needles and thread and may be starch for fabric wallpapering,
• Gardening tools (if you have a garden or lawn attached) such as lawn mower,
• Miscellaneous items such as iron and ironing board may also be needed,
• Things and Accessories to decorate home such as gold and silver touch-up pens, black and white spray paints, paint brushes and colors, sandpaper and may be buttons, ribbons, laces and fringes too,
• Things needed to hang pictures, messages and other such things such as cup hooks, thumb tacks, push pins, plastic anchors and picture wire,
  Tools to cut such as box cutter, utility scissors and good pair of scissors for fabric,
• Tools to measure such as measuring tape, yardstick, T-Square or level, and
• Woodworking tools such as a lightweight handsaw, screwdrivers of all sizes, C-clamps, nails and hammer.

Interior Designing is all about creativity and imagination. The basic elements that we use to play around with the mood, look, personality, character and overall environment of our rooms, kitchen, bathrooms, garden, backyard, garage and home, in general, are described below:
Fluorescent and halogen lights look harsh and are too bright for coziness and warmth in the room. Use soft incandescent lights instead.
Direct the light to attract the attention to visually appealing focal point in the room such as down lighting as from lamps shades of table lamps or up-lighting for attracting the attention to the family photos and portraits on the walls.
Make use of variety of textures. Soft and fluffy pillows, cushions and throw blankets make the room look cozier while baskets and hardbound books arranged neatly in book cases make the room look more sophisticated and ethnic. Black chrome armchairs, metallic round chairs, modern irregular-shaped tables and large mirrors make the room look too formal.
For the cozy room décor, use textured furniture as sleek furniture makes the room look quite formal.
The use of more patterns makes the room appear smaller and cozier. In a small room, use patterns sparingly.
Throw rugs add instant warmth to the room and are great for those who are renting.
Dark warm-toned colors on walls, furniture or furnishings make room look smaller but cozier.

White is the most versatile color and the most popular one too, for home décor. It reflects light beautifully, giving home a fresh clean airy feeling and make it look like a blank canvas that can become alive with the judicious use of colors. White has different meanings in different cultures. Westerners often associate it with purity and chastity while many Eastern cultures associate it with mourning. Thus, people belonging from different cultures may be affected differently by white home décor. While Westerners find it heavenly and paradisiacal, Easterners may find it peaceful, restful and even sorrowful. Here are some tips to use white in home décor:

• Accessories such as bowl full of water with gray-green stones, throw pillows on a white sofa and a goldfish bowl, all seem to have a special place in the all-white room.
• Bittersweet chocolate walls need white furnishings and furniture to balance the look of the room.
• Black and white color scheme has a clean and classy feel when used on floors, walls and furniture, in stripes or checks.
• Blue and white room reminds us of sky and water bodies and are quite serene to look at.
• Colorful table linens, food, flower and napkin arrangements, all seem to get more attention when the dishes, plates and cups are white.
• Green and white remind us of gardens and wilderness. Bluish green may add a touch of undersea environ while lime green instantly makes the room look cool and funky.
• Lighter tan hue or pale sandy tone for the walls look even better with white moldings.
• Orange citrus hue with white in a room looks quite tempting while kids love combinations of purple and white.
• Pastels such as light pink, yellow, pale green, baby blue and aqua with white moldings and trim look absolutely lovely.
• Red and white theme décor featuring strawberries or touches of dramatic blacks, aquas or hot pinks, is just perfect for holiday decor.
• Today, white has gained a new status and popularity in the hands of creative interior designers who break the clinical dull monotony of hospital-like white room with astounding use of colorful furnishings and accessories such as fresh flower arrangements and patterned bedsheets, pillows and coverlets. Add colors to the room daily that seem to stand out against the white background.
• White is considered the most popular neutral color and was almost a default color for walls, ceilings and bed sheets in older times.
• You may replace the harsh blinding white with softer ivory, beige and cream tones for the perfect look.

Neutral colors (such as white, taupe and beige) give you a beautiful canvas to work upon when it comes to home décor. Limited use of colors and patterns help you to create a sophisticated environment along with interesting focal points in rooms, garden and living area. Natural fibers are available in these colors too and have quite different textures for experimenting. The variety of texture in neutral natural colors infuses peace and calm in the home environment. Here are some tips for home décor in neutral colors:

• Simple peaceful homes mostly use off-white or beige colored furniture.
• To create a warm comforting rustic look, use dark neutral colors such as shades of brown, rust and black.
• Natural tones are the strong points of a neutral color scheme. Artificial tints can be disturbing to the overall effect.
• Simple yet sleek homes prefer to use single, multi-purpose and versatile item rather than many small furniture objects.
• Natural fibers in neutral colors can add texture and character to home in the form of curtains, window draperies, slipcovers and pillows.
• Use simple and few accessories that are chosen prudently and in moderation.
• If you are sick of an item that is no more useful to you, dump it boldly. Clutter makes home look messy.
• Ivory, black and gray also come under the heading of neutral colors but be sure to understand their undertones while choosing their combinations. These undertones of colors can be pink, tan, gold, yellow, blue or even peach.
• Remember, red is a warm color that attracts attention and represents energy, passion and healing. It can be used as accents to add instant life to a dull neutral colored home decor.

Thorough cleaning of home can be quite a daunting and tiring task and it is always best to have a rough plan in mind, if your don’t want to waste any efforts and time in the process or miss ‘the’ spot while doing all the hard work on your own. Here are some practical suggestions from us that you will find useful:

• An appropriate cleaner for the job is a great help while cleaning. Try to use the least abrasive ones at first as abrasive ones may damage porcelain toilet bowls and scrubbing too hard may cause grooves that become difficult to clean later. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions while using abrasive cleaners for your safety.
• Before trying to get into corners and worry about details, it is best to start with what you can see at first.
• Clean from top to bottom, so that when you dust the edge of the ceilings and bookcases and it settles on the floor, you do not have to clean it again. Floor should be swept last.
• Follow a system of cleaning left to right or vice-versa so you can be sure that you don’t miss anything.
• Keep a big box and a trash bag close at hand. All the small items that you may find while cleaning and would like to keep can be kept in the box while all things that are now useless to you can be dumped into the trash bag.
• Make sure that you keep your cleaning supplies in the cabinets that get locked automatically and out of reach of your children and pets, as it can be injurious to their health, if ingested.
• While rags are most common choice for dusting, vacuum cleaners today come with appendages that can reach into the tightest corners, ceiling edges, fans and window sills and suck all the dust in.