Style Blog

Welcome to our blog where our guest writers and team publish informative and inspirational style. Fashion - design - home -tech - travel and beyond

Please post anything interior design or architectural here, thanks :)

LED Downlights Lighting Your Home and Office

LED Downlights   Lighting Your Home and Office

For both home and office, people are looking to save money on electricity bills as energy costs continue to rise. Using LED downlights is one of the most efficient ways of lighting homes and offices, due to their low energy consumption and long life span.

The Advantages of LED Downlights

Although they cost more to purchase initially, LED downlights more than pay for themselves in the long run. Also known as LED spotlights, downlights using LED bulbs use far less wattage to power themselves but still manage to produce a far better quality light than halogen or CFL bulbs. Energy efficiency is the most important factor in choosing to install LED downlights in your home or office as they can provide you with energy savings of up to a phenomenal ninety percent over standard halogen bulbs.

In the Home

While many homeowners will spend an awfully long time deciding on just the right colour schemes to show their home off to its fullest potential, surprisingly hardly any time is spent on choosing the correct lighting. However, it is the lighting in a home, such as commercial LED downlights, which can really show everything off to its best advantage.

Good lighting can

  • Make your home look spacious
  • Cut down on headaches
  • Create various moods and an ambience of your choosing.

LED Downlights for the Home

LED downlights provide a far more focused light than other forms of standard lighting. This means that the light emitted is more equally distributed across the room, resulting in there being no dark corners or poorly lit spaces. This is a particular advantage if you have any rooms in your home with low ceilings or where space is at a premium. Focused lighting creates the illusion of extra space and will bring a cleaner, more homely look to the room.

Warm or Bright?

In the more functional rooms of the house, namely the kitchen and bathroom, bright light is important in order to be able to carry out any tasks such as cooking or washing. Bright LED downlights in these rooms are perfect for this and, in the instance of the kitchen, placing some of the downlights directly above any wall-mounted units will reflect light back up onto the white ceiling, creating an extra glow. Warm lighting is better for creating a cosy ambience in either bedrooms or living rooms, where comfort is the priority.

Continue reading
2
  5493 Hits
5493 Hits

What Are The Parameters Of Choosing The Right Light Bulbs?

Who does not wish for a well illuminated room in their homes? A reader has always desired that perfect radiance on his book to take pleasure of reading his or her favorite novel. Well what I am trying to emphasize on is that having an appropriate luminance is an essential factor. Be it a normal task like working on your laptop or intense tasks like studying or sewing, correct lighting plays a vital role. For this very purpose choosing light bulbs becomes extremely significant task.

Most of us ignore this aspect of our lives. We close the eyes to the fact that such carelessness may result in weak eyesight. There are chances of accidents to occur flighting is not correct. You might get a cut on your finger while chopping in dim light or probably slip-off the floor in the bathrooms. So picking up appropriate light bulbs is indispensable for everyone for safety issues.

Here are few parameters one should keep in mind while selecting the light bulbs for their homes or offices:

Recognize the purpose of lighting

Well there is no doubt to the fact that one would pick lighting options as per the requirements. By requirement, I mean that you would have to pick light bulbs according to the functionality of the room. If you want to fit the fixture in your study, you should pick the one with more power. Similarly you can go for dim lights with regulators for your bedroom so you can change the intensity according to your mood.

Continue reading
1
  2936 Hits
2936 Hits

Give Your Children Their Own Space With One Of The Special Children’s Playhouses

Give Your Children Their Own Space With One Of The Special Children’s Playhouses

Though children love playing at their parent’s feet, they also need their own personal space. They love anything that mimics the adults around them, which includes their play living space. That is why the use their play dish sets to set the table for a meal or tea party. Having their own play space with one of the newest children’s playhouses can give them hours of fun and satisfaction. There are a number of reasons this is a good idea. These include:

  • It’s their own space
  • It’s safe
  • It encourages their imaginative play
  • It give them ownership

It is their own

They playhouse, especially if it is kid sized, is perfect for giving them a feeling of ownership. It is there, and no adult is involved unless invited. They can decorate it to their liking, within reason. They can do all sorts of activities, and invite their friends, as well as the occasional adult if they wish. It is theirs.

To maintain this feeling of ownership, the parent should make sure not to infringe on their space. Don’t store anything in their space, and don’t enter unless you knock or ask permission. Let them design the space as much as possible, so far as furnishing, painting, and other decorating touches.

Safety

Continue reading
1
  4616 Hits
4616 Hits

Taking Care of Your Bed Sheets and Linens

 
Buying the most expensive set of sheets is the first step, but knowing how to take care of them is incredibly important. If you don't know how to care for your quality certified organic sheets, your Egyptian cotton pillowcases, or your Neiman Marcus linens, you'll basically be throwing your money away. Without taking proper care of the sheets and linens, you'll wear them out far before their time!
 
Sheet Care 
 
If you're going to take care of your sheets, here's what you need to know:
 
Storing Sheets
 
When storing your quality sheets, keep them nicely folded in a drawer that is cool and dry. Line the interior of the drawer with acid-free tissue paper, as that will stop the sheets from turning yellow as they age. Never store the sheets in a plastic container of any sort, as it will collect moisture - which can lead to mildew growth.
 
Washing and Drying
 
You can wash your sheets as often as you want, but it's recommended to wash them no more than once a week. Make sure the wash water is warm - never hot (hot water shrinks the fibers of the sheets)- and make sure to turn any colored or printed sheets and pillowcases inside out to prevent the color from running. Use a special oxygenated bleach on light colors and white sheets, and stay away from chlorine bleach.
 
When drying your sheets, the tumble dry setting in your dryer will help to dry them properly, but pull them out of the dryer before they're completely dry. This will prevent wrinkles from forming. Always let them dry completely before putting them away, though, as that will keep mildew away.
 
Other Important Information
 
A thread count of 200 to 400 is more than enough - any more is unnecessary. Find the best quality cotton for the sheets, as that will make a finer thread that makes your sheets more comfortable. Replace old sheets as necessary.
 
Linen Care
 
Not sure how to care for your linens?
 
Follow Instructions -- On each sheet, pillowcase, or linen blanket, there will be instructions on linen care. Follow these instructions precisely, as that will ensure that you keep the linens in good shape.
Dry Cool -- It's fine to run your linens through the dryer, but use the cool dry setting to do so. Make sure to pull the linens out before they're completely dry, and hang them on a line to finish the drying process.
 
Iron Damp -- It may not be necessary to iron your linens, but you can do so if you want. Make sure to iron them while they are still damp, as that will be the best time to smooth out wrinkles. Use a steam iron, and set it on a medium or hot setting. Iron white linens on both sides, but iron dark linens only on the wrong side.
 
Store Properly -- Keep your linens in a dry, cool drawer, and never use a plastic bag, box, or container to store them.
 
The truth is that caring for your sheets and linens isn't too hard, but it's important to do so. Without the proper care, your bedding will be worn out long before their time.
 
0
  3257 Hits
3257 Hits

How to choose the right pottery gift with Denby china

We all know how difficult it can be to choose a great gift for someone else. Whether it is a birthday or a wedding gift, we ponder long and hard over our choice and then worry about it afterwards. One solution to this problem is to choose a practical gift that is still a very special one.

Wedding gift lists often include a number of items from a high end pottery range, such as Denby. However, buying quality china need not be limited to a wedding present. In fact, beautiful pottery makes a perfect gift for just about any occasion.


Practical and Useful


There are a number of different reasons for choosing china or pottery as a gift. It is a practical and useful present, especially if you know that the person is an avid collector of a certain range or style. It is something that will last and that will act as a memento for the recipient, too. High quality china brands, such as Denby pottery, are extremely collectible. Whether for everyday use or just to present them in a display cabinet for decoration, Denby pieces are a wonderful investment. Their value can only increase with age and there are many retailers that can offer Denby china with excellent discounts.

Giving pottery as a wedding gift is a long standing tradition, of course. Whilst it is true to say that most modern couples probably already have a lot of the items necessary for starting up a home, it is also the case that these may not include quality china. Couples tend to buy everyday china from budget department stores and some may even see pottery brands such as Denby as a little old fashioned.



Contemporary designs


However, pottery ranges these days are more than a match for the contemporary items available at High Street retailers. With classic styles and modern patterns and colours, investing in a full range of high quality china is a wise choice. The beauty of choosing to collect a full set of matching china items is that you will never be short of tableware for unexpected guests or for a formal dinner party. Family and friends will also never be short of gift ideas for you.

With such a beautiful range of pottery items available, it seems a shame to reserve them only for special occasions. Brands such as Denby have some lovely pieces that are sturdy and practical enough for everyday use. Besides, eating off beautiful china somehow makes the food taste better! The benefit of owning a matching set from a quality brand is that they can be easily replaced if they are damaged or broken during use.

Exquisite china makes a wonderful gift for friends and family visiting from abroad, too. Brands such as Denby china are very well respected and collectible in many other countries. Buying a tea set as a welcome home gift or even just to say 'thank you' is a fantastic way to show you care.

Continue reading
0
  2284 Hits
2284 Hits

10 Innovative Interior Design Ideas for Your Home

circular-designer-stool-chair Designer Kitchen Stool

Anyone can create a beautiful home, but designing a home which is original, inspirational and incredible all at the same time can be a little bit trickier. Thankfully though, there are dozens of great ideas out there, which will help homeowners create a unique and unusual home. Here are 10 ideas that will give homeowners a head-start and a head's up when it comes to finding the best innovative interior design items.

1) Funky Storage Boxes

Plain, plastic boxes are a thing of the past! With a range of funky and unusual shaped storage boxes now available, homeowners don't need to find a place to hide away containers. In addition to serving a practical purpose, boxes can act as a stylish accessory, creating a fun, funky and fabulous mood.

2) Antique Furniture

Unusual, old and quirky, antique furniture is a great way for homeowners to make their home stand out from the crowd. From grand, mahogany wardrobes to framed, golden mirrors, there is a variety of spectacular antique furniture available. With items from all eras, those who want to set a classic and elegant tone can do so with the help of antiques. Check Antique Style Mirror Coffee Tables for example.

Continue reading
1
  2375 Hits
2375 Hits