Exterior paint schemes for historical houses

Owners of historical homes know that choosing paint colors is a nerve-wracking and critically important decision. Ready-mix paints have been available since the middle part of the nineteenth century and from that time home owners have had to choose their colors without really knowing how their finished home will look. After all, a two inch paint chip looks very different from a 3,000 square foot house!

In a visit to New England in the 1840s, famed novelist Charles Dickens commented, "All the buildings looked as if they had been painted that morning ... Every house is the whitest of white; every shutter is the greenest of green."

If you have an older home and want to choose colors other than green and white, here are some guidelines"

1. Light colors "advance" a home while dark colors cause it to "recede". This means that lighter shades will make your home appear larger and closer to the street, while darker shades make your home seem smaller and further away. If you want your house to blend in and be less noticeable, therefore, a darker hue is best.

2. Light dramatically affects how colors appear to the human eye. In cooler climates the light is diffused and bold colors are intensified. In southern climates, the harsher, brighter sunlight will cause pale tints to appear washed out.

3. If you want your gutters and downspouts to be less noticeable, paint them the same color as the house.

4. Make sure any mildew problems are solved before painting. Test suspicious spots with household bleach and if they change color, you definitely have a mildew problem.

5. Moisture problems must be eliminated before painting. If they are not, water will ruin even the best paint job.

6. Some paint manufacturers offer color 'families' to simplify choosing. That is, there are several colors that go well together and eliminate the agony of figuring out the exact right shade for the trim so that it will relate well to the primary exterior color.

7. It's always possible to get expert help. This is especially desirable if you own a historical landmark and wish for it to be restored to its former appearance. Historical paint consultants are familiar with shades available at the time the home was built and can often do research to determine original colors. These folks understand chemical changes in paint and can usually figure out what the original colors looked like before they faded to today's milder colors.

8. There is software available that allows home owners to scan in a picture of their home and then try out different colors without making an actual commitment. It's powerful to see your home in Colonial Barn Red or Patriot Federal Blue before actually putting a drop of color on the outside.

9. You might consider staining your historical property, rather than painting it. Stain is cheaper and it won't peel off or crack the way paint does. This is because it actually sinks into the wood, rather than coating it so it will instead weather and dim over time. Stain won't cover up any imperfections in the wood the way paint does, however.

Owning and living in a historically significant home is a privilege and maintaining that house is a responsibility to take seriously. Therefore, avoid hasty color choices and take the time to choose wisely.

Oriental rugs - history and information

Oriental rugs are handcrafted rugs woven in the Middle East and the Orient - mostly regions extending from China in the east, to Turkey in the west and the Caucasus in the north, to India in the south. Authentic oriental rugs are knotted with pile or woven without pile and exclusively handwoven, which makes them unique and more exquisite, precious, and expensive than the other types of rugs. Some of the most popular and best oriental rugs include the Turkish, Caucasian, Turkoman, Afshan, Donkeybags, Prayer Rugs and Kilims rugs.

Short History:

The earliest known oriental pile rugs were those found in a Scythian burial site in Outer Mongolia dating back to the fifth century B. C. The second millennium B. C in Egypt and Central Asia had already seen the evolution of the art of rug weaving so by the fifth century B. C., rug weaving had become a fairly well-developed art. When the Silk Route came into being in the 17th century during the Safavid reign in Central Asia, oriental rugs started gaining immense popularity and Europe began to import them in large quantities. The rug making art and industry in the Orient also became a lucrative, highly skilled occupation. By the mid 19th century, not only the rich but the middle class citizens of Europe also began to value and afford these exquisite handwoven rugs.

Knots and Oriental Rug Weaving:

Oriental Rugs are handwoven on looms. The pattern of the rug is created by the knot (pile). Pile knots are of two types - symmetric and asymmetric. Symmetrical knots can be tied in such a way to give the pile a left or right inclination. Knot density is measured by counting the knots vertically and horizontally within the given area along the back of the rug. The size of warp (foundation threads wrapped around the loom), warp depression, weft (thread inserted along the width of the loom) and pile threads all determine the knot density. A cartoon (preliminary sketch similar in size to the work) may be created as a guide before weaving.

The loose warp threads along the ends are knotted, woven or braided into the fringe after the weaving. The Selvage is the edge formed after a single terminal warp or a cord made of various terminal warps is wrapped with the weft threads. The side cord may also be added only after the rug has been woven and removed from the loom, and a single cord is sewn on to the side of the rug. To create a rounded finish, an overcast (warps wrapped with a separate thread in circular fashion) may be used.

Type of Materials used for Weaving Oriental Rugs:

Wool, cotton, silk and rayon are commonly used in weaving oriental rugs. Wool and Silk are generally used in the pile. Wool is the most common fiber in the Oriental rug weaving industry and silk is the most expensive. Silk, which is also the most resilient, is used for creating the most elaborate and intricately knotted rugs because of the possibility of creating unique and exquisite texture unmatched by any other. Cotton is mostly used for weft and warp. Rugs made from rayon are cheaper and less durable though they almost resemble silk.

7 window cleaning tips for that special sparkle

A sparkling window is the desire of everyone. Clean, bright shiny windows add a new look to every house. Like furniture, windows require their own cleaning methodology to keep them looking new and tidy. Here are 7 simple ideas to give your windows a marvellous shine.

1) Ensure that you dry your windows in one direction - leftwards or rightwards. Mixing the direction will leave unpleasant streaks on the glass and make it look untidy.

2) Before you wipe the window glass, remove all dust from the windows so that in applying a wet cloth, you do not leave mud on the window. Water and dust will form mud.

3) If you are cleaning window sills, rub the whole surface with a damp cloth sprayed with alcohol so that all the spots will clear off for a beautiful shine.

4) Windows are very sensitive to dirt. You should therefore apply only clean water in cleaning windows and in cases where you use damp cloth, use only clean cloths.

5) If the glass is greasy or smoky, apply some vinegar to the water before you clean the window. Vinegar removes grease without leaving streaks or stains.

6) When cleaning windows which are beyond the reach of you hand, use a step ladder if the height is medium or use a regular ladder if quite high. Always ensure that the safety clip is on and if possible, get some one to hold the base of the ladder for safety reasons.

7) Sprays are convenient to use than buckets of water. In cleaning windows of considerable heights, try to use sprays instead of buckets of water as they can spill and you will have to do everything again. The sheer weight and burden will get you tired easily.

Getting a window to shine is an easy task. All you need is the above window cleaning tips.

Live in your living room

Is your living room a place for show, only used when you’re entertaining? Living rooms, as their name suggests, should not only reflect who you are to the outside world, but they should also be lived in. Here are some suggestions for making your living room warm and inviting for guests as well as functional and comfortable for family members.

If your living room is large, divide it into smaller areas through the positioning of furniture. You want the "conversation pit" to be cozy — a couch and loveseat and a couple of chairs around a large cocktail table will seat many people, yet they’ll all be able to hear what the others are saying. A great place for family meetings as well as for entertaining. Make sure all seats are within reach of a table — someplace to set down those drinks and chips!

Face the couch to an architectural focal point, such as a fireplace or a large window that looks out to your garden or the city lights. If you don’t have an architectural element to work with, create one by hanging large pictures or a mural on a wall. This allows people to admire the art and it’s safer than hanging anything heavy right above the seating (especially in areas prone to earthquakes!). Hang cloth wall hangings or small pictures on the wall behind the couch. Don’t, however, hang a mirror where people will see their reflection all the time. Not everyone is thrilled by his or her image.

If you divide your living room in two or three seating and/or dining areas, use rugs to define the conversation grouping, another under the dining table, and another to set off a place to exhibit the Buddha you brought back from Thailand or a wall of bookcases that not only hold your books but also display your collection of antique toys or Bennington pottery. Area rugs work well over waxed hardwood floors or neutral, wall-to-wall Berber-style carpeting.

A decorative room divider, such as Japanese shoji screens, can be used to separate a large room into a living room and a TV room. In a smaller place, face the couch to a wall unit that holds the television — it’s sure to become a favorite gathering spot for the family.

The days of covering the "good" living room furniture with plastic are over! Leather or the new microfiber fabrics are easy to clean, look great, and can survive guests, kids, and pets. If the furniture is in neutral colors, add colorful decorative pillows. Remember to keep a few throw blankets around to stay cozy on cool nights.

If your living room walls are painted in light neutral shades, you’ll be able to change the furniture and decorative touches easily. Other ways to change the look of your living room are by adding tall plants or a silk tree, a permanent flower arrangement in a basket or tall vase, or even a fountain and small pond in a large enough space.

Don’t forget about lighting! Floor lamps, especially in dark corners, can brighten large areas, while table lamps can provide good light for your favorite reading/knitting chair. An arrangement of candles on the mantelpiece or a table adds ambiance to your living room. Now go ahead, live in your living room!

How to find the best air purifier for your home

An air purifier can perform wonders for your home. Air purifiers do battle with anything airborne and unwanted, such as odors, bacteria and germs, and leave your home with clean, pure, and healthy air. Once you start living with an air purifier you'll wonder how you ever survived without it. More and more home owners are opting to purchase an air purifier as they become more and more aware and concerned about the quality of the air they breathe day in, day out.

How do the best air purifiers work?

Air purifiers work by replacing the air in your home with clean and filtered air. They remove particles in the air, such as dust, by drawing air through their filters. Unwanted particles get trapped in machine's filter, and what is circulated back into your home is pure, clean air.

How to find the best air purifier?

There are many air purifiers on the market and many different manufactures. Keeping track of new developments in air purification technology is difficult. Before you buy, always do a bit of research about the product and the manufacturer.

If you are buying in-store, prepare questions and make an appointment with the salesperson so that you can be completely informed about product features.

If you are buying online, then try to read reviews of each product before you buy. Online stores such as Amazon. com do provide this review service. Some of the better manufacturers are Honeywell, GE, Whirlpool, Alpine, Living Air and Bionaire, amongst others. Visit the manufacturer's website and download product features and specifications, which you should study before making your final choice.

How to clean microfiber furniture

Cleaning Microfiber furniture can be a bit tricky, especially if you don’t know how to do it. Here are some tips to help you.

Cleaning microfiber furniture is a bit of a difficult situation. Yet, today, there are many people buying this beautiful product. It looks great and it feels great, but what happens when someone spills something or the kid’s attack the product with greasy fingers? There are many things that can happen to your great looking couch or other microfiber product. Here are some things that may be able to help you to get the job done and come out with great looking furniture.

The first thing that you need to do when it comes to your microfiber furniture is to read the tag. To tell you to do something and then it be something that you should not do would be wrong. So, take a moment to look at the tag that comes with your furniture. This will at least tell you what not to do with your furniture.

Once you do that, try these tips for help with microfiber products.

• Vacuum it with the attachment of a high powered vacuum cleaner. This will remove the lint, debris and the pet hair that gets into it. You should try to do this at least once per month, more if you have children.

• Get to the spills quickly. If something spills onto your furniture, grab an absorbent white terry cloth and blot the stain. Do not scrub it as this will worsen it. Blot out until completely dry.

• Use a mild detergent to wash stains or spots. Do not use bleaching products on your furniture as this will discolor it. You will want to use as little as you can to wash the furniture. Blot on and then blot off, no scrubbing.

• If that does not work, consider dry cleaning products. Make sure that the product that you purchase is capable of cleaning the product that you want to use it on. Most will tell you right on the bottom what to do.

• Professionally have it cleaned. If you have stains or just want the furniture cleaned, take it to a professional. You will not have to worry about using the wrong chemical. Also, carpet washers that have attachments can cause the microfiber to wrinkle and shrink. Avoid this and instead have a professional handle deep cleaning.

While microfiber furniture is all the rage, to keep it in check and looking great you do need to take the time to clean it the right way.

My house is clean why do i need an air purifier

Why should we bother with air purifiers? Many people are very good housekeepers and yet we hear and read about how the home environment in such bad conditions. So how can it be dirty and yet you spend time daily cleaning?

One of the problems is today's homes are such tight specifications what gets in can not get out. They are more energy efficient than 20 years ago but that also increases home pollution. You're conserving energy but you're polluting your home.

Your strict cleaning routine may make the use of an air purifier even more important. This is because of the cleaning solutions and chemicals that you are using.

An air purifier is a device which aims to free air from contaminants. The popularity of air purifiers spur from the results from environment researches which claim that the air inside homes are dirtier than the air outside of homes.

Here are some other reasons that your home may be polluted without an air purifier. The family pet is a very big source of home pollution since pet dander contains allergens. Having an air purifier in the rooms that the pets stay is very beneficial. If you allow them in your bedroom run an air purifier constantly and wash your bedding daily if possible. Vacuum several times a week and run your air purifier on high for several minutes after you get finished with the vacuum.

Forced air furnaces are also a culprit as they re-circulate dirt, often containing allergens from pet dander and other airborne pollutants. Changing the filters of whole house filters in the spring and fall is a must, and it is even better if you add electrostatic filters to them.

Continuous room fresheners are another source of home pollutants that an air purifier would be able to assist you with removing.

Tobacco is another very common pollutant that also has some severe health risks. If at all possible smokers should go outside. At the very least they should smoke in non key areas of the home. Air purifiers are particularly beneficial for those who wish to reduce second-hand smoke.

Outside pollutants that have entered such as industrial discharged particles, gases, and other odor associated with industry. These pollutants have entered and have no way to escape so you are breathing them with each and every breath.

The type of home air purifiers that you use depends on which kinds of home pollutants you're most worried about. Different air purifiers work on different types of pollutants. Some are better with removing air borne particles and others are better as absorbing odors, cleaning chemical smell and gases. Some of your high end air purifiers will do a equally good job with all types of indoor pollutants.

Home air purifiers (particularly those with HEPA technology and activated carbon) can be of great assistance. By placing a high quality unit in your bedrooms and main living areas, your home will be as clean as it looks. It will also be healthier since the air purifiers have taken the majority of allergens out of the air you are breathing.

Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and the entire resource box is included.