Category: Home Improvement

11 Advantages of Glass Furniture

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Nowadays, furniture is not a necessary household item only but also an interior detail. This is why making furniture takes lots of materials such as plastics, wood, metal and even glass. You will get to see more about the advantages of the furniture made out of the latter material.

It is quite unusual; its individuality is too much. Until quite recently glass was used for making furniture rarely enough. Glass is used for making shelves, glass ceiling and walls, coffee tables, interior doors, breakfast bars, counters, different wardrobes and their doors, storage units, drawers, arm-chairs, dressers, chairs, curtain walls.

We live in times of progress and use simple things in more and more different ways. Glass is not used for making windows only. There is an opportunity now to create solid heat-strengthened glass, transparent leaded glass etc. As a result, we are able to see some wonderful pieces of furniture made of glass, extraordinary at times, but comfortable for every day usage. Let us have a glance at 11 top advantages of glass furniture:

  1. Environmental friendliness

Glass furniture is an excellent decision for people who are allergic. The material is totally environment-oriented.

  1. Transparency of the glass

Furniture made of glass make a room look more light and easy. Furniture is almost invisible unlike drawer units made of wood and massive tables.

  1. Simplicity

A glass-made furniture brings some creativity and lightness into design of a room.

  1. Elegant

Even a usual standard looking table made of glass looks delicate and elegant in the interior. It fits in any interior regardless it to be a living room or an office.

  1. Reliability

Many people think that a slight move and the furniture made of glass is broken. Those are unfounded fears. A modern glass may be bullet-proof, laminated and heat-strengthened, which makes it to where the furniture is more reliable.

  1. Safety

The furniture is completely safe due to special technologies of the glass processing to be applied.

  1. Compatibility

Glass goes along well with other items. It is compatible with both turning legs made of wood and drop-forged base. Also it looks great with items made of leather. Glass furniture is going to be looking especially nicely with items made of gilt bronze.

  1. Broad expanse

Glass furniture makes a room looks bigger. The thing is that light rays bend on the cut glass and spread all over the surface expanding its boundaries.

  1. Humidity resistance

It explains its being popular for bathrooms. A transparent construction makes a weightlessness effect as if a table levitates.

  1. Easy maintenance

Special cleanser and soft duster will help to keep furniture clean.

  1. Continuing suitability

A task of furniture made of glass is to make living comfortable, to make people feel good. It is achieved through comfort, functionality, attractive appearance and up-to-date design solutions of furniture made out of the glass.

Final Words

You might have noticed yourself how popular furniture of the glass has become. For example, glass furniture makes one third of sales in Europe. No one is surprised to see a glass table or else.

Fashion, as everybody knows, is changeable. This is how fashion should be. Whimsical. Glass furniture is on the top of trends lately. Choosing furniture made of glass, you will understand how easy it is to be in fashion!

About the Author

Melisa Marzett who is currently working on the projects at Resume Perk Editing Services has completed many tasks on writing and blogging due to the fact of her being a splendid master of the writing craft.

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23 DIY Ideas For Home Improvement

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Sometimes the most brilliant ideas for a home are elementary to do with one`s own hands, all you need is desire and a creative approach. Sometimes you can even make lovely original handcrafted items from unnecessary things. Creative things for the home are about uniqueness, charisma, and exclusiveness; it is a unique look and a special atmosphere.

Perhaps everyone would want to have something exclusive at home, which decorates the interior. And no need to pay for it a small fortune.

  1. Tabourets

You can use small charming tabourets made of plywood and painted with bright colors for furnishing a kitchen, a children`s room or a living room.

  1. Lamp

A beautiful nightlight made of wooden clothespins glued together, will harmoniously fit into the bedroom interior, decorate the bedside cabinet and become a creative interior detail.

  1. Torchiere

The faceless table lamp can be turned into a real designer masterpiece, decorating its base with useless plastic toys.

  1. Spotlight

Fascinating lamp, which requires only a transparent vase made of plastic or glass, a hydrogel, a light bulb, and water. Such an unusual lighting device will fill the room with soft, mysterious light and will perfectly fit into the interior of an entrance hall, a bedroom or a living room.

  1. Vase

You can make a fantastic decorative vase of maple leaves can be made with a balloon and glue. There is undoubtedly a place for such an unusual thing in any interior.

  1. Sconce

The original sconce in the form of a cloud, made of a small piece of plywood, cable passage, and light bulb, will become a unique decoration of the walls of a children`s room.

  1. Garland

Pilsner glasses made of plastic can be used to create a fantastic festive garland.

  1. Magnet plates

Use can cover to create enchanting magnetic dishes. To do this, include the cover with a first coat, paint in beautiful colors and glue the small magnets on the back. You can use the resulting products can be used for the decoration of the refrigerator and the storage of various metal trifles.

  1. Decorative lighting fixture

A glamour lamp in the water of a thundercloud made of plastic bottles, light bulbs, and cotton wool. Of course, such lighting will not replace the ceiling chandelier, but it will be an incredible detail of the bedroom, living room or thematic children`s room.

  1. Mobile bedside table

A simple and very stylish bedside table on wheels, which you can make with your own hands from an ordinary wooden box painted with white color.

  1. Mirror Frame

The blue frame for the mirror, ornamented with plastic toy dinosaurs, will decorate the mirror and make it a spectacular interior detail.

  1. Rope Vase

An unusual rope vase complete with a bunch of artificial flowers will be an excellent and adorable home decoration.

  1. Magnet holder

You can make a practical, functional and stylish holder for the legs of wooden boards and a few magnets will perfectly fit into the interior of the kitchen, decorated in a rustic or cottage style.

  1. Panel

A plywood sheet, threads, small nails, and artificial flowers are all that is required to create this fantastic panel in the currently favorite string-art technique. Such an unusual thing can be a gift for someone from loved ones or magnificent interior decoration.

  1. Candlesticks

Small birch cribs are an ideal material for creating original menorahs. Use cribs of different heights to create an eye-catching and unusual composition in one of the corners of your apartment.

  1. Organizer

Decorate a bedroom door-handle with a small organizer sewed from the shred of any thick fabric. The resulting product is suitable for holding a mobile phone, glasses, headphones and other trifles.

  1. Hanging Lounger

You can furnish a balcony, a terrace or a bedroom with a fantastic hanging chair made of metal hoops decorated with macramé cords.

  1. Abatjour

Color pencils can help to transform a simple white lampshade of a torchiere. Just glue them around the perimeter and enjoy your updated bright light.

 

  1. Bookshelf

Perhaps many will be surprised, but an old wooden pedal ladder or a ladder can be a useful thing for home and comfort. Everything is straightforward, it is necessary to paint the stairs or to open it with varnish; the main thing is that it fits into the interior. It remains only to attach it to the wall and arrange books. If to use a ladder then it is possible to place wide boards on it, which will allow putting various small objects or flower-pots on them.

  1. Aquarium

An old lamp TV can be the first aquarium. To do this, remove the kinescope and other unnecessary parts from it, and put the tank with the aquarium. Thanks to its sturdy frame, the TV will be able to withstand the heavyweight created by water.

  1. Armchair

You can make a chair, which is a useful thing for home and cottage, can be made from an old suitcase. Buy the legs at a furniture store or, if you have tools, you can make them yourself. Attach them on one side, pre-painted or decorated. Another important detail – two soft pillows, suitable for the size of the suitcase. That is all, the original chair for a hall or a country house is ready. If desired, you can decorate the briefcase itself.

  1. Kitchen clock

From old cutlery, you can make the original clock for the kitchen. Even plastic kitchenware will do. It is necessary to take around the base of wood, glue the devices in a circle at a certain distance and paint them as desired. You will only have to attach a clock mechanism, and you can decorate the kitchen with an original clock.

  1. And another armchair

Prices for furniture are increasing every year, and especially if it is something original and unusual. Beautiful and unique furniture can be made with your own hands, using as basis pallets, which are available in any hardware store. They are accessible to saw, paint, and bond together. From the pallets, you can make a table, sofa, bed, sunbed, and wardrobe. Only a few cots, pillows and here it is the original chair, which will be the highlight of the interior of any room.

As you know, comfort consists of trifles. However, it is not so easy to create as it seems at first glance. Being able to feel the golden mean is essential.

After all, thanks to the “little things” it is easy to turn to the house into not only a cluttered place of residence and a dust collector, but also to make it empty and dull.

The best way out of this situation is to add some bright, hand-made details to the interior.

Final Words

Progress does not stand still, and regularly new convenient devices appear in the world, which makes it possible to simplify and improve life. In most cases, it is not a cheap pleasure, so many are learning to create crafts and useful things for the house with their own hands. By the way, some people have built a real, and most importantly, a successful business, creating independently unique things that are very popular in modern society.

About the Author

Melisa Marzett is a guest post writer who is currently working for http://star-writers.com with almost ten years of experience in writing. She has been writing on different topics, and home improvement is one of them. She lives and works in Phoenix, Arizona but has an opportunity to travel working and enjoying going at the same time. She dreams of building a family, buying a house and take care of a garden.

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Storage of Household Chemicals: A Guide

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Being environmentally conscious means you should buy eco-friendly products whenever possible. However, there are some cases in which a “green” substitute may not be readily available. As hard as you may try to avoid them, we sometimes need to rely on harsh chemicals for many of our housekeeping tasks.

Household chemicals, such as cleansers, drain cleaners, deodorizers and other products have the potential to not only harm the ecosystem, but also our health if not handled properly. It is essential to know the basics of storage of household chemicals that can be found in and around the house, in order to safeguard public health as well as the environment.

One of the most important principles is to read the label prior to usage/storage. Certain cleaners need to be kept in specific conditions or temperatures to avoid hazardous situations. Proper organization is also key when it comes to using these products responsibly. Re-label any containers that have been around long enough to where original labels are faded or missing.

Homeowners should know the location(s) of their local hazardous material disposal stations, as well. Proper handling of these materials will help prevent them from getting into the mainstream environment, where they can cause public health and ecological issues.

Going green means choosing all-natural products as often as you can. When it’s not possible, you need to take extra care. The accompanying guide details what you should know about the correct ways to store and handle household chemicals.

 

Household Chemical Storage Guide from SolvChem Custom Packaging Division
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Eco-Friendly and Frugal Ways to Design Your Backyard

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Designing a beautiful, eco-friendly backyard oasis doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of budget-friendly ways to reinvent your backyard design while also protecting the environment. Therefore, before you start your backyard remodel, you should consider using some of these inspiring, eco-friendly ideas.

Pave it up

A lush green lawn stretching across your backyard is certainly appealing, but it’s not that eco-friendly. A lawn requires a lot of maintenance and water, so you should definitely consider paving your backyard.

You don’t have to replace your entire lawn, but simply cut back on its size. You can install lovely pavers or use gravel instead. These solutions will help you reduce your outdoor water consumption without affecting the visual appeal of your backyard haven.

Create a lush green wall

Installing a lovely green wall is one of the most inspiring ways to go green. This is a popular trend that will actually provide you with numerous benefits. If you turn one side of your house into a green wall, you’ll provide it with additional layer of insulation, which will help you reduce your energy consumption.

In addition, this is a space-saving solution if you have a small backyard – you can have a vertical garden that won’t take up too much space.

Reinvent your irrigation system

If you want to have a lush, healthy garden, you need to install a proper irrigation system. However, it’s important that you pick an appropriate solution that will help you save water and energy in your home.

Aside from collecting rainwater and using it for your plants, you can also install a smart sprinkler system that you’ll easily program and control. A drip irrigation system is also a great option because it doesn’t waste water on plant foliage, but targets the root.

Shade it properly

The only way to truly enjoy your backyard sanctuary is to create a lovely, comfortable seating area. You can bring out some cosy lounge chairs, set up a coffee table and decorate it with chic embellishments. However, you should ensure that your outdoor seating area has the key component – enough shade.

By shading your outdoor space, you’ll be able protect a side of your house from heat gain, keeping it more comfortable during summer, which will help reduce your energy consumption. In addition, you’ll also protect your materials and furniture, so you won’t have to replace them due to sun damage. For the best effect, you should go with durable custom shade sails made of recyclable materials.

This solution will cover more space than a sun umbrella and provide you with greater benefits. Shade sails can be easily installed and adjusted to meet your needs and the particular features of your outdoor area.

Light it the green way

Outdoor lighting is another simple, yet effective way to green up your backyard. Beautiful lighting solutions will not only set the mood and create an inviting look, but also elevate your outdoor décor. However, it’s important that you go with eco-friendly lighting options that will help you reduce your energy consumption.

For instance, you can install solar fixtures or use LED lights instead of regular incandescent ones. A smart outdoor lighting system can also help you save energy by allowing you to control it remotely and configure it to turn on and off depending on the time of day.

Choose salvaged and repurposed materials

Whether you’re planning to build a deck, pave your backyard or set up a lounge area, it’s important that you go with sustainable, salvaged and reusable materials. You have a range of stylish options, including bamboo, salvaged wood, cork, natural stone, brick, etc. These materials can be used for your furniture, decorations and landscaping, giving your backyard a beautiful, natural flair.

You can also buy vintage pieces instead of new ones, which is both budget- and eco-friendly. Finally, you can even repurpose some of your old items. For example, you can give your old indoor chairs a makeover and use them for your backyard seating area.

Conclusion

Designing a beautiful backyard can be both affordable and eco-friendly. You just need to focus on implementing solutions that will provide you with long-term benefits while also protecting the environment.

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5 Whimsical Garden Decor Ideas with Stones and Rocks

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Gardens are a little paradise of your home where you can relax and retreat yourself with nature’s beauty. Vintage plants, colorful flowers, and exquisite landscaping will add elegance to your garden. It is the most pleasant and stimulating place of your home, which brings tranquility and comfort. To make this serene place of your house more alluring and rejuvenating, decorate it to enhance its beauty and express your creativity. It is time to get centered and looks into the garden decorations to have a joyful garden decoration experience.

You don’t need to spend extra dollars on decorating this little heaven of your home; you can have a stunning looking garden by using simple rocks and stones. Best of all, you don’t need to cover extra miles to search for them; you can find them everywhere and add beautiful elements to your garden with little effort. Just collect them and use them to embellish your garden and make it more eco-friendly. You can achieve excellent results without breaking the bank if you use discount coupons for garden accessories available at PennySaviour.

Let’s dive deep into the ideas to decorate your garden with stones, pebbles, and rocks. It’s time to take action now!

Create an appealing curb appeal with dazzling stepping stones

It is the most excellent way to boost the curb appeal of your garden by making these incredible stepping stones. You can paint the rocks in different flowers and colorful butterflies.

Moreover, you can also arrange stones in a way to design an adorable butterfly pathway. This fantastic idea will add a decorative feature to your landscape and makes it more engaging.

Incorporate the colors of fall by making painted lady bug rocks

Ladybugs can harm your lush green plants and colorful flowers. Let’s stone those bug bites. Decorate your garden with these colorful ladybugs and spread colors of fall everywhere in your garden. Your kids will also adorn these cute ladybugs.

Collect some different sized stones and then paint them into different colors, or you can paint them all red and black, it’s up to you. Now put these painted stones into the garden, or you can select a specific area and decorate it with some plants and these bugs. In this way, you will have a family of ladybugs in your garden.

Add new dimensions to your garden by making these family rock feet

Collect some nice and smooth stones and assemble them with the smaller ones. You can make stone feet according to the number of your family members.

Choose the color and size of your choice. Use construction adhesive to lock them into a specific place. This rock feet artwork will make a unique addition to your garden.

It’s time to plan a rock concert

Add a contemporary element to your garden with this jazzy piece of stone art. It will be an eye-catching décor item to spruce up your yard.

Just collect some stones long and thin and glue them perpendicular to the big one, just like as shown in the photo to give them a concert look. Now paint the stones in different colors with waterproof paint, the eyes with white color and make two little black dots on it to complete the eyes. Now the garden concert is ready to hit the grass.

Make a cozy garden bench

Sitting still in a garden is worth a thousand dimes. So it is essential to arrange a sitting area in your garden. What about making a rock bench?

You can give a more natural look to your garden by making the bench with different stones. Find multiple-sized and shaped stones. Arrange the bigger stones in the form of seating and the smaller ones to make the back seat. After assembling the rocks into a perfect bench, you can put comfy cushions to enhance its appeal; and it is all ready for you to sit and relax in peace.

Try these incredible garden décor ideas and awe everyone with your creative skills.

Good luck with your decoration!   

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10 Brilliant Ways to Create an Eco-Friendly Garden

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An eco-friendly garden is about working with nature,  not against nature. Creating an eco-friendly garden is one of the best ways to help the environment. Choose organic fertilizers and methods for your garden that enhance the fertility of the soil.

In this Infographic you’ll get the complete information about how to choose eco-friendly materials? How to Recycle and Reuse Materials while Gardening? How to create Mini Vegetable Garden and know more about organic homemade composts.

Do you want to make your outdoor space eco-friendly? Take a look at this informative and interesting Infographic on “10 Brilliant Ways to Create an Eco-Friendly Garden”.

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Preparing Your Garden Beds for Spring

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Do you want to get the most out of your garden beds this approaching spring? You can if you know the secret to effective gardening! What can that be? A good groundwork in making your soil right for planting! So, how do you go about getting your garden soil right for the year’s first crops? Following is a spring to do list that will enlighten you on the right way of going about your task.

Garden beds can be of three types

  • Garden beds that are to be freshly developed
  • Beds that have seen the growth of crops earlier but are now empty
  • Beds which have perennials, shrubs or bulbs growing on them

 The procedure to be adopted for each of them is detailed below:

Developing Fresh Garden Beds

The first task will be to ensure that there are no utility or irrigation lines running through your property from your local government cell. Outline the shape of your garden bed before the onset of spring. Do it with the help of a garden hose, changing its position till you get it right. Next, get down to destroying any vegetation if it exists by using a saw or pruners.

Begin your task in the fall period

  • Cover the soil and vegetation with a good many layers of newspapers with regular ink print
  • Lay a 3 inch compost material on it
  • Vegetation is killed due to the sunlight blockage
  • Nicely developed compost layer is good for the soil

Next step is to start turning the bed over with your spade and shovel. Ensure that you are working on soil that is moist but not wet. This alone will enable you to get the most out of your working. Double digging the soil to a depth of about 18 inches will go a long way in preparing your garden soil in an optimum fashion. Weed seeds that were earlier not visible will be highlighted. In order to prevent them from germinating, you need to use synthetic merchandise to kill it.

Alternatively, you can spread organic mulch of bark or pine needles thickly over your proposed garden bed. However, weed and feed merchandise will necessitate you to use pot grown plants for installing in your garden bed.

When you are through with your planting, spreading compost layer on your soil-top is necessary. This will prevent the growth of weeds; retain the soil moisture besides giving a neat appearance to your garden bed.

Preparing Existing Beds with No Vegetation

Here, you will be replanting into a garden bed that has no vegetation in it. You can therefore, skip the first step of layering the bed with newspapers for destroying the existing vegetation. However, you need to keep enriching your soil by adding organic matter at regular intervals. You turn the moist soil and then add a layer of compost into it. Double digging along with inclusion of organic matter is highly recommended. Additionally, mulch can be used to cover your soil-top to prevent weed growth and make it richer.

Good groundwork is essential in making your soil right for planting

Preparing Existing Beds with Vegetation

The third kind is garden beds which have some sort of vegetation in it. You have to be extra careful while turning in the compost on these areas. The roots of existing plants should not be harmed in any way. The compost mixture can be put in small amounts around the prevailing plants and can be spread on the soil-top. Ensure that it does not touch the plant stems. Areas which are left open for planting annuals can be enriched by incorporating compost before planting.

How to Evaluate Soil’s Moisture Content

  • Pick a lump and crush it. If water is squeezed out then it is wet.
  • If it can’t be crushed into a ball then it is too dry.
  • If it shapes up into a ball and falls apart on tapping then it is said to be perfect.

Dry soil will prevent work to be done while wet soil will lead to clumping. Moist soil ensures optimum soil structure and air porosity.

How to Determine Soil Structure

  • Sandy Soil: Doesn’t retain water
  • Clay Soil: Too hard to be broken down
  • Healthy Soil: Crumbly and friable

Clay and sandy soil can be tackled by incorporating lots of enriched organic matter or compost into it. Microbial activity will be enhanced and earthworms who are supposed to be besties of gardeners will start flourishing.

Follow the above spring to do list and you will be on your way to getting an excellent garden bed prepared for your spring planting.

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Eco-Friendly Lighting Options That Will Make You See the Light

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Not only is lighting an essential component of home design that can have a crucial impact on the general atmosphere, but it’s also one of the simplest ways to go green. However, there’s more than one way to switch to eco-friendly lighting. In fact, there’s a variety of options that will help you design an eco-friendlier home with a bright and light ambience that you’ll love.

Start by installing new bulbs

When it comes to eco-friendly lighting, it all starts with green bulbs. Regular incandescent bulbs consume a lot of energy, most of which is wasted, so it’s no wonder that many countries around the world phased out the use of these bulbs. In fact, Australia was the first one to ban incandescent bulbs. Thus, you should replace them with an eco-friendly alternative if you haven’t already.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have become the most popular solution due to their energy efficiency and durability. In addition, unlike other bulbs, LEDs don’t contain mercury vapour. Although LEDs are more expensive than other solutions, they use up to 90 per cent less energy and last approximately 100,000 hours, which makes them a wise investment.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are another possible lighting solution that you can use to replace incandescent bulbs. They are less popular than LEDs, but still eco-friendlier and more efficient than the regular bulbs. They generate less heat and contain significantly less mercury than incandescent lights.

You can also go with halogens, but they are typically used as accent lights. They have a bright, white glow and must be installed in special fixtures. However, they also generate more heat than other solutions, so you shouldn’t go overboard with their use.

Go smart

Another great way to make your lighting greener is to make it smart. Installing tech features, such as motion sensor lighting, smart switches or an automated lighting system, will help you reduce energy wastage in your home. While motion sensor lights will turn off automatically when you leave a room, smart switches and other systems can be controlled remotely, which will enable you to turn off the lights without leaving your bed. In addition, you can set up different configurations and have your lights programmed to turn on and off depending on your habits, time of day, etc.

However, keep in mind that some countries, like Australia, prohibit unlicensed electrical work. That’s why hiring a reliable Sydney electrician who is licenced, highly trained and qualified is a must. Therefore, you should have an experienced electrician introduce new electrical installations into your home – they guarantee the safety of their customers and the quality of their work; that way, you can rest assured the job is done properly.

Make the most of natural light

No lighting solution is greener than natural light, so you should definitely maximise it in your home. If your home gets enough sunlight during the day, there will be no need for artificial lights, so you’ll reduce your energy consumption significantly. Therefore, you should remove those dark, heavy curtains and let natural light permeate your home.

Choosing a light colour scheme and glossy finishes can also help you create a brighter atmosphere in your home by reflecting light. In particular, mirrors are a great solution, so you should definitely add them to your space. However, if you feel that your living space still doesn’t get enough sunlight, you should consider installing skylights or solar tubes. This will require a bit more effort and investment, but it will make a great difference in your home.

Make your fixtures green

Switching to eco-friendly lighting doesn’t only entail the installation of energy-saving bulbs, but also the use of green materials for your fixtures. Thus, you should go with lamps, pendants and other fixtures made of reused, recycled or natural materials. You can also buy vintage lighting fixtures, which will have a positive impact on the environment while also giving your home a beautiful flair.

Key Takeaway

Installing green lighting in your home brings you a range of interesting and eco-friendly ideas that will help you create a sustainable and stylish home.

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10 Tips for Indoor Gardening

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Indoor gardening can sound like an intimidating prospect, as plants are supposed to be outdoors—aren’t they? Certain plants, however, can survive and thrive in an indoor environment. Here are 10 tips for keeping your indoor garden happy and healthy:

Location, Location, Location

Some plants require more light than others. One of the most important factors for keeping plants happy is making sure they’re getting as much, or as little, light as they want. Some plants may be happier being placed by windows, and some may want a little bit less light and will do better in a shadier area.

Mist to Avoid Drying Out

In artificially heated or air conditioned environments, some plants may dry out. Misting your plants is a good way to combat this, as it can help keep them from getting too dry. Some plants will do well when misted, and others will not, so be sure to look at the requirements for each specific plant.

But Don’t Over Water!

Over-watering is a cause of problems for many different plants, especially plants that are more accustomed to a dry environment (such as succulents). Plants should only be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch. Some plants, like succulents, only grow their roots when the soil is allowed to dry. In an indoor environment, overwatering can cause roots to rot as well as the potential for other problems.

Use Ice Cubes for Water

A good way to moderate the amount of water plants get, or to water them more slowly, is to place ice cubes in the pot with them. They will slowly melt, allowing the plants to be watered at a more steady rate that can help the water absorb into the soil more slowly.

Use Fertilizer

Using fertilizer can be a good way to assist your plants in getting the different nutrients they need, especially if they are in an indoor environment and may not be exposed to the same things as outdoor plants. Different plants have different needs, so it’s important to make sure you’re providing the right type and amount of fertilizer for each plant.

Not Enough Sunlight? Not a Problem!

Artificial lighting, often called grow lights when they’re used for plants, can be a good way of helping plants get the sunlight they need. Often, you can’t choose the direction of the windows in your home and there isn’t a lot you can do about it. In this case, using artificial light can help plants that need a lot of light if being near a window isn’t enough.

Choose Plants Wisely

Certain plants are easier to grow inside than others, and one of the most important steps in beginning an indoor garden is making sure you choose plants that are capable of being grown to their full potential inside. Many plants that require pollination from things like bees and butterflies (such as plants that grow fruit) are very difficult to grow inside due to the fact that they require pollination from an outside source.

Match Plants with their Environment

Different plants all have different native environments, and sometimes it can be hard to recreate these environments in your home. Plants that tend to like more moist environments will do better in your bathroom, as the air is much more likely to be as moist as they like it. Some plants prefer certain temperatures, and this should be taken into account as you’re choosing plants for your home. A plant will not do well if it’s much colder or hotter in your home than in the plant’s native environment.

Choose the Right Container

There might be a temptation to choose a container for your plant based only on how it looks with the rest of your interior decor. It’s important to consider not only the way the plant will look in your home, but also how the container will function within the life of the plant. For example, glass containers can look very pretty but they can hold onto more water than a desert plant would like, and this can cause problems for the plant in the future.

More Than Just Decor

Some plants can have functions other than being purely decorative. Certain flowers can add calming scents, herbs can be used in cooking, and some plants like aloe have a variety of functions other than being decorative.

Conclusion

Indoor gardening can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many ways to make indoor gardening easier, and using these tips can help bring your indoor garden to life and create a space that can be functional as well as beautiful.

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Greywater Systems for a Greener Home

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There is nothing more important than water when it comes to the sustenance of life on this planet. Yet, 844 million people globally do not have access to clean and safe water. Access to clean and safe water can be termed as the stepping stone towards building a sustainable world. Understanding this global crisis of water, developing and developed countries have shifted their attention towards the possibility of reusing greywater to limit the exploitation of resources. In this article let’s have a quick gaze on “Greywater Systems”, what they are? how does it work? The need for it, and so on.

What is Greywater?

Wastewater from domestic use can be broadly classified into two, viz

  1. Black water: This includes the sewage water from toilets, which cannot be used for any other purpose and has to go into a septic tank or sewage drain.
  2. Greywater: Domestically used water which is not clean to drink but can be used for other purposes after proper treatment is termed as Greywater.

Most of the wastewater from domestic use falls under the category of Greywater, which essentially means we are wasting water which can be used again. In the wake of the 21st-century people have begun realizing the potential of re-using Greywater in building a sustainable world.

Advantages of using Greywater

  • Helps to drastically reduce the need for fresh water

Greywater can be used without any treatment for purposes like watering plants which greatly reduces the quantity of water being diverted from nature and helps in creating an eco-friendly garden. With the cost-effective ways of water treatment, the Greywater can be used for doing laundry, outdoor cleaning, and so on.

  • Reduces the strain on septic tanks/ sewer tanks

Re-using the Greywater obviously reduces the strain on septic tanks/sewer tanks as most water is diverted for uses and ends up recharging the groundwater. On a broad picture reduced quantity of Greywater from individual houses means higher treatment effectiveness and lower costs for municipal water treatment plants.

  • Reclamation of wasted nutrients and plant growth

Greywater contains water from the kitchen which has higher organic contents than the fresh water. Using this water for watering the plants can indirectly be a way to provide nutrients to plants thereby saving the additional cost on manures and fertilizers.

How to use Greywater in your homes?

The major hurdle in using greywater in an existing house lies in the way the plumbing systems have been designed. Majority of the water we use is flushed into the septic tanks or city sewer drains. Which is why a great deal of plumbing modification has to be done in order to use Greywater in an existing house.

The ideal way of Re-using Greywater would be to divert all the drain water into an outdoor Greywater tank and then using it. This system can only be designed while building a new house. On existing houses, the easiest and cost-effective way would be to identify the exterior drain pipes from kitchen, bathtubs and laundry machines. Cut a hole in the pipes and using an elbow joint divert the water to your vegetable gardens or an outdoor Greywater tank.

Is it safe to use Greywater?

The Greywater may look dirty to our eyes as it contains grease, dirt, hair and certain household products. Because Greywater does not come in direct or indirect contact with a toilet or sewer, it contains a 100 times fewer pathogens which makes it safe for reuse. The contents of the Greywater can be valuable fertilizers to your plants.

Basic guidelines for using Greywater

  • Do not store Greywater for more than 24 hours which may lead to the breakdown of the nutrients releasing bad odours
  • Ensure that the Greywater stored in the tanks can soak into the surrounding soil and is unavailable for animals or people to drink.
  • Keep your Greywater systems as simple as possible.
  • Avoid overflowing and runoff of Greywater from the storage tanks.

Conclusion

Implementing Greywater systems at your homes can prove to be the first step towards building a sustainable house. Greywater systems can greatly be of help in reducing the fresh water consumption by re-using.

Categories: Environment, Green, Home Improvement Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Salman Zafar