Fast Solutions with Feng ShuiWritten by BatSheva Vaknin
Fast Solutions with Feng Shui By BatSheva VakninFeng Shui is an ancient Chinese art used in home to create balance and harmony. Feng Shui Practitioners have many tricks of trade used to get rid of negative energy and promote happiness, stability, affluence, tranquility and peace. With help of this guide, now you, too, can use Feng Shui to enhance your surroundings. Here are some Feng Shui fast solutions to allow you to experience maximum fulfillment in your current home: Color. Color can lift you up or bring you down, so pay attention to colors you choose for your furniture and to decorate your house. Decide on which color best suits your living room, bedrooms, dining room and furniture by figuring out energy you would like for that particular room or area. Red: Great for energy and excitement. Works perfectly in a dining room to keep folks awake at dinner table. Not so good for bedrooms and studies, as its properties can make it hard to relax and unwind. Orange: Stimulates hunger. Softer, lighter shades work great for living rooms, playrooms, and even bedrooms. Yellow: Inspires happiness and creativity. Use in any room to add brightness and vitality. Green: A healing and soothing color. A perfect choice for a living room or any room where you want to enhance energy of balance. Blue: A healing and soothing color. A perfect choice for a living room or any room where you want to enhance energy of balance. Indigo: Yet another color that heals and soothes. Good for a child’s room to promote healthy sleep habits. Purple: A highly spiritual color that promotes richness and transformation. Can be too high of a frequency for a large room, so consider using accents of purple as an alternative to painting an entire room. Light. Light exerts a strong influence over how we feel. Take care to light each room so that you achieve appropriate calming or energizing effect. Sunlight: Natural lighting is very best way to brighten a room. Good Quality Lighting: Second best to natural lighting. If possible, don’t skimp when it comes to buying lamps, track lighting, or fixtures for your home. Bright Lighting: Promotes energy and activity (for a playroom, for example). Low Lighting: Promotes calmness and relaxation (for a bedroom or study, for example). Dimmers: Can be purchased at a local hardware store. Dimmer switches give you flexibility to alternate between bright and low lighting in same room. With a dimmer, bedrooms can be used to play, study, or sleep, your dining room can accommodate a lively brunch or a romantic supper, and living room can foster animated conversation or some quiet family reading. Touch. Designers often overlook power of texture and how it influences energy of your home and surroundings. Play with accessories and furniture of different materials to achieve surprising results.
| | Upholstery UpkeepWritten by BatSheva Vaknin
Upholstery Upkeep By BatSheva VakninUpholstered armchairs and sofas are comfortable and attractive additions to any home. When neglected, however, upholstery can quickly turn into next year’s yard sale’s featured item. Help upholstered furniture in your dining room, living room, family room and bedroom last for years and years, by getting to know ABC’s of upholstery preventative and corrective care. Stop Damage Before it Occurs Protect Upholstery from: SUNLIGHT, NEWSPAPER INK, FABRIC DYES, PAINTS & POLISHES Allow common sense to dictate what you should keep from harming your upholstered furniture. Sunlight will fade upholstery, so keep your upholstered couches, armchairs and ottomans away from window, or else well-shaded. Put your newspaper on a coffee table or side table, to avoid ink damage to your upholstered furniture. Other items that can cause permanent damage include dark-colored sheets and blankets, for when damp or wet, dark dyes on these fabrics can rub off and ruin your upholstery. Finally, paints and polishes, such as nail or shoe polish, should never be used on upholstery. Make sure to cover your upholstered furniture when painting your living room, dining room, or bedrooms! Keep it Clean! 1: Vacuum, 2: Damp-Dust, 3: Professionally Clean Cleaning upholstered furniture is easy as 1, 2, 3. First, Vacuum as often as possible. Second, damp-dust arms and headrest areas with cleaning solution recommended by manufacturer. Third, indulge occasionally in professional cleaning for maximum dirt and dust particle removal. Here’s a tip for keeping your favorite chairs & couches clean: Don’t be fooled by zippers on those cushions: cushion covers are NOT meant to be removed and washed separately! Before you vacuum, remove cushions. Beat them, rotate them, then vacuum them. 911 Emergency Care Blot, scrape, vacuum. Read label, match spill with remedy. Spills happen. The key to avoiding a permanent stain is to react in manner most appropriate to type of spill. For liquid spills, don’t rub spot, BLOT. Use a fresh, clean paper towel. For food or solid spills, first lift as much of spill as possible with a dull knife or a spoon, scraping gently towards center. For powder or cigarette ash spills, don’t add a liquid or rub. Instead, vacuum up spill. When remnants of spill still remain, use a fabric cleaner. Here are some guidelines: Check manufacturer’s label for cleaning instructions and recommendations. Codes on labels are as follows: W=water based cleaning agent; S=water-free solvent; WS=water based or water-free agent okay; X=clean only by vacuuming or light brushing. Test water or cleaning agent in a hidden area of upholstered furniture before applying to stain. Be patient when applying cleaning agent. Go slowly to avoid causing a ring or spreading stain. You may need to use several doses, blotting each time with a clean paper towel. Only blot, never rub. Use a fan or cool blow dryer to speed up drying process, working from outer edge of spill to inner. If velvet, use a brush on fabric before it dries. If a stain remains, call a professional cleaner. A-Z Home Stain Removal Chart: Look it up. And remember, don’t rub, BLOT!
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