Nesting on a Budget

In this economy, many are spending more time at home and less time out in restaurants, shopping, and engaging in leisure activities (although by the looks of mall parking lots that does not seem to be the case). But who wants to be stuck in a home that is not welcoming and makes you take every opportunity to leave? An attractive interior environment can change your mood and make for some quality family time. When your own dining room is a restaurant, the bedroom - a quaint inn, the family room - a movie theater, and the kids room like the science museum, who needs to go out?

Starting with the basics, a cluttered home is never an attractive home. The first step is to get rid of all things seldom used or just taking up space (sell on craigslist perhaps). Try to look at your home as a potential buyer would. If you do have a lot of 'stuff' that you think you need to keep, organize some adequate storage whether it is a built-in or bins in the basement - everything has to have its own place. Once you have that squared away decide what you want each room to be or feel like. You don't have to take on the whole house at once, take your time.

Once you have the 'mood' established for each room, start with color - what color facilitates that mood in your mind? If you don't want to or don't have the budget to repaint every room - work with what you have and instead use wall art and textiles (pillows, curtains, upholstery covers) to change the decor. Lighting can be an inexpensive way to completely change the mood of a room.

Here are some fun products that can help you with your interior redecorating:

blik surface graphics

PerlaAnne - hand block printed designs

reclaimed t-shirt spaghetti rug
George Kovacs Counter Weight Chandelier
Design Public window film
Windrush wall sconce

Some unique wall art suggestions:

Eco Friendly Landscape Lighting

Landscape lighting can add significant curb appeal whether you are looking to keep or sell your home. When you are aware of rising energy costs though, the last thing you want is to add more items to plug into your outlets and drain your bank account. The solution is to use solar powered landscape lighting that makes your place glow after the sun goes down. While we have all seen the cheap solutions that you can get at Home Depot that give off the soft blue glow, there are other options that will look more 'designer' and professional yet still affordable The Missions Solar Light pictured below requires 3 hours of direct sunlight to charge, these lights dispense light more brightly and evenly than most other solar products. It can also be removed from the post and used as a table lantern. With LED technology this light will last you a long time:

Check out these very eccentric solar slate stepping stones that you can use to light pathways on your grounds. They are powered by an integral solar panel and after being auto-charged can provide up to eight hours of LED light:

These incredibly stylish Solar Shoji Lanterns can be hung anywhere in your garden or near your patio to give off a soft glow and moon like radiance. Yellow LED lights are encased in paper-like, weatherproofed nylon and automatically switch on at night:

Also appealing for a garden setting is the Shepherd's Hook Lantern . They are crafted from copper plated stainless steel for rust resistance and long time outdoor use. They are somewhat reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement and add a lot of charm to an outdoor space whether it is by a cottage, mansion, or a simple cape:

CFL Lightbulbs: Mercury Content Concerns

While the recent trend to change light bulbs to CFLs is a step toward energy efficiency, it is also a step toward indoor toxicity and pollution considering the unhealthy amounts of mercury they contain. A CFL bulb uses a whopping 75% less energy than its incandescent brother, it truly is an easy decision. But there are concerns over the amount of mercury that is currently capped at 5 mg by Energy Star. Some Energy Star light bulbs would not be able to be legally sold in Europe because their cap for mercury content is lower than the US.

Under the Bush administration, Energy Star has become a passive backseat passenger and a partner to the electrical industry, hopefully things will change in the coming year. For now, to take the guesswork out of which bulbs are safest to buy, refer to the Environmental Working Group's guide for the CFLs with lowest mercury content and highest lifespan hours. Be sure to avoid using CFLs in rooms and locations where they can pose a hazard to children. For more in-depth information on this topic visit EWG.

Whimzy Interior Design: North Conway Lodging

Are you are tired of the same old hotel room, typical decor, boring accommodations? Check out Adventure Suites in North Conway, NH. Very conveniently located near all the winter activities in the area. You will be excited and intrigued by their 16 suites that are all completely unique!

VISIT BYE BOSTON FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH ARTICLE

VISIT ADVENTURE SUITES WEBSITE

The Wonders of Lighting

Lighting plays a vital role in interior spaces. It can make a room gloomy, vibrant, depressing, energizing, boring, or exciting. A poorly lit room that is well designed with materials and furnishings is a waste of your money, you are not showcasing what you have spent your time on. The key to great lighting design is layering. I think most of you know a space that is lit by just one type of lighting, like the average office. We all know how 'inviting' that can be. The average hospital room is also a great example of poor lighting design.

Layering refers to using a combination of general or ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, and decorative lighting. Ambient lighting generally lights the entire space with a light wash and eliminates too much contrast between spaces that are lit and those that are not. Task lighting is of course specific to an area where a task is performed and is a higher light level. Accent lighting highlights specific architectural or artistic features (a painting for example) and is about 3 times brighter than ambient lighting. Decorative lighting is when the fixture itself becomes a prominent element in the space.

You also want to use day lighting to your advantage and for great cost savings before the sun goes down. For further savings, only use efficient lighting fixtures with long-life lamps.

The photo is an example of using layers to create a positive lighting mood.
photo: SoBe design group