Homepoint Plumber

Archive for June, 2009

With the world finally deciding that we really do need to do something to help keep our planet green and healthy, there are many alternatives to regular interior design ideas that can be more eco-friendly. Not only do these items and ideas use recycled materials, but they also are lower in toxins that pollute the air, reducing the air quality standards in your home.

One of the first things that many people do when they are ready to change the interior design of a room is to choose paint colors. If you are looking for a durable paint that can be washed, look at the low-VOC paints or zero-VOC paints. Verify that acetone, formaldehyde and ammonia are not present before purchasing that paint. If you don’t need to worry about scrub-ability you can go with a natural paints; but the most you can do for these is to dust them when they get dirty.

There are many flooring and fabric choices that are greener. Cork has become quite fashionable for floors, and with the new fabrics made from bamboo that are so very soft it is easy to use a more renewable resource for your new interior design. Any use of renewable resources when changing your interior design is good for not only the planet, but also employs those who harvest it.

If you are remodeling the interior design of a kitchen or a bath, consider using a recycled countertop such as glass or concrete. These come in many different colors and designs. Some actually resemble granite a great deal, but are most often less expensive.

To reduce electrical usage, when you start working on your interior design consider installing larger, insulated windows for more natural light, and try out one of the many new solar lights that are readily available. They have a small solar panel that can be easy affixed in just about any sunny location. The battery they charge will illuminate the included bulb for anywhere from eight to eleven hours.

Lighting Fixtures

When you first buy a house, remodel, or redecorate your house, this will be a good time to change your lighting fixtures. When redoing a room, it may take a few fixtures to bring out the room to the way it should be. Each room has a purpose and your lighting should correspond with that purpose.

You can really bring out a room with a light fixture that is bold and striking. Ceiling fixtures come in all types of designs and can drastically change the feeling of your room. Lamps can be added to add contrast the ceiling lighting. If you do a lot of reading then you will need a high intensity reading lamp.

The best types of reading lamps are those that are full spectrum lamps. These are specialty lamps and produce white light similar to the sun. Unlike regular incandescent bulbs, they create white light by emitting light frequencies like the sun does. This type of white light is good for reading and easy on the eyes.

When looking for a ceiling lamp fixture, look for functionality. If the fixture has too many design features, it can block the light and provide very little general lighting to your room.

If you room is to have computers, then a ceiling lighting fixture with indirect lighting will be best to avoid computer monitor glare. If possible try to avoid using florescent lamps in your living area since they emit light in 60 cycles which fatigue your brain and body.

The ceiling lighting is not only for the kitchen but for the other rooms like the bedroom, stairway, hallways, and recreation room.