Mastering Mindful Interior Design Info-graphic

Mastering Mindful Interior Design – Infographic We hear a lot about mindfulness in today’s busy world. It’s easy to see why we do because the world is a hectic place and with so many distractions like social media and other technologies, many people do not take time out for themselves. When we think mindfulness, we sometimes think about meditation, but we can actually bring elements of mindfulness into our home décor & interior design too.

The guys at EZ Living have put together this info-graphic below that explains exactly what mindfulness is; the benefits of it; 10 top tips on how to weave it into your interior design and it also gives some expert insight on the matter too. Check it out below for more.

Mastering Mindful Interior Design Info-graphic is republished from www.keepitcartesian.com

What do your home and food preference say about you?

A person’s choice can divulge quite a lot about someone. It can depict what kind of a person they are, and this is extended to their choice of lifestyle including their food choices and how they decorate their houses. Eventually, a change in your decor is a sign of a growing and changing personality.

Aura colors

Houses especially reveal the aura of a person. The style and decor of a home express how energetic someone is, and how creative they are. The colors chosen by someone are telling of their personality. For example, bold colour like red depicts a daring and passionate nature. Green and yellows are chosen by energetic and cheerful people. They are telling of an adventurous personality and someone who loves the natural. This kind of colors helps elevate the mood.

Blue is considered a colour of elegance and
depicts a sophisticated person. Purple is usually considered a sign of a
sensual and charismatic self.

Color doesn’t have to be glaringly in the face to depict a personality, your chosen style of furniture and what you want to display in your home is also very telling. See the next link for more details on Aura Colors

A chart with the meaning of aura colors
The meaning of Aura Colors

Minimalist living room

For example, if a house is furnished with puffy sofas and armchairs like those available on Furniture in Fashion, reveals a person who loves luxury and comfort. On the other hand, a leather sofa and minimal furnishings depict a laid-back person who cares more about functionality than anything else. In the same manner, the kind of lighting you use in your house can tell whether you have a soft and romantic personality or maybe an outdoorsy one. If your home is full of tech gadgets or books, it can reveal how you like to while away your relax time. A display of souvenirs is telling of a traveling personality.

A modern bright straight lined minimalist living room
Modern minimalist living room

Diet right

A person’s choice and taste in food are generally dependent on their habits and culture, but even then, it is dominated by their personality. Per many studies, food choices can easily reveal your lifestyle. The choice between salty and sweet foods may not seem like a big deal to you, but it can tell a lot about you.

People who eat organic and home-made foods are
obviously very health conscious and lead a simple life. Whether you’re more of
a veggie person or a meat-lover, all choices relate to you as a person. People
with a demanding routine are found to indulge more in fast food and easy to
cook food.

The kind of food visible in your kitchen also
depicts your personality. For example, what is most evident in your kitchen,
fruits or snacks is a critical indicator of your food choices. The choice of
drinks is also significant, the kind of wine a person chooses to have with
dinner or if they choose a wine or a beer is also very telling. A sophisticated
and traditional person will always choose wine, and the choice of wine can tell
whether you’re a picky person or more laid-back.

The right diet for your personality

The following post What do your home and food preference say about you? is courtesy of Keep It Cartesian

9 DIY Home Decor Ideas in Summer

Welcome the warm climate cheerfulness and
delight as you update your own insides an exciting and lightened arrival this
summer.

Many of us often undertake a home makeover will probably cost lots of funds. The unambiguous realism is you never have to spend a lot on those summerhouses some thoughts for a house makeover. You want to develop into creative and utilize a few of those decoration ideas. It’s vital to bear in your mind to not spoil the subject. By blending some neutral colors with some decorations that are brilliant, you can creatively present your insides with a more contemporary and vibrant look.

With the 10 DIY home decoration concepts, you
could willingly adjust the dull looking comfortable space to some soothing and
shining comfy arrangement. Summer is about pleasure, fun, and the outside
beach. Make your home or apartment seem like simply a summer shore house or a
cottage that is motivated by coastal.

1.    Multi-color Summer Design Tissue Paper Flowers

Amazingly, these lovely tissue paper floras that are used for a décor that looks terrific. These paper blossoms are inexpensive and accessible to produce. The pieces of equipment you will need are stapler, brilliant tissue paper and scissors. Just with a couple of steps, it is possible to cause those flowers. There really are a good deal of suggestions to produce tissue paper flowers, and they can be incorporated by you in your summer room decoration project. These blossoms are perfect choices for flower vases, centerpieces, door swags, and garlands for showers and party decorations that are exceptional. Use glitters, ribbons and paper render to supply tissue paper blossom a fresh look to you. Locate all equipment that is essential you’ll be able to find at any craft shop.

Purple and lilac DIY tissue paper flowers
Tissue Paper DIY Flowers

2.   
Summer Themed Smart Study Room

Library or your study corner, in addition,
deserves a trendy summer makeover too. Even though classic wood and earthy tone
combinations are great for a library setting, you also are able to jazz the
room’s look with a couple of decorations. Bright flowers background and book
boxes will fit your thoughts that are summer in the study room. Paint your
study room in whitened and choose library bookshelves that are white. Insert
the shelves to be highlighted by some decorations. Fresh flowers can be used by
you in glass vases. The style suits the subject very beautifully. Any damask
publication box or a polka dot storage package will suit the motif.

Summer themed study room with a model boat, white chair & computer desktop
Summer Themed Study Room

3.   
DIY Motivational Wall Quotes Message Board

Dangle motivational paintings and quotes on the
walls around your home rather than leaving them all plain. Even an image with
text that is motivational increases the mood span and also creates a
considerable influence on the home setting. The most wonderful thing about
utilizing quotes is you can switch them on distinct topics such as expect,
work, love, etc.

Motivational Quotes Message Board

4.   
Seashell Wall Summer Room Décor

Make your home appearance summer-themed with this seashell wall decor that is stunning in. Use it on your bedroom or put it at a corner niche to highlight the wall. This seashell wall-mount decor adds a cool vibe. Love today, earning this sea-shell wall decor, if you’re considering carrying an enjoyable DIY project. Choose any seashell of your choice or seashells, add some lights is already. Hang those seashells on the wall and put in nautical charm to v coastal motif. Living room space or your bedroom will undoubtedly be instantly brightened up for this particular fashionable seashell summer design wall decor.

Natural wood picture frame decorated with sea shells

5.   
Attractive Summer Garlands

Summer means to children around home adoring time from school. Turn your home by utilizing slipcovers and fabrics which aren’t only fun and casual but can also be machine washable. Motivate children to focus such as seashells, pine-cones, and also different elements that are nature-inspired with art and crafts stuff and use these to decorate your kids’ bedroom and playing with space.

Summer garland with hessian bows and decorative wooden twigs and branches
Summer Garland with hessian bows and decorative twigs

6.   
Add Outside Lights for Enjoyable Evenings

What exciting is summer decorating short of rope lights? Develop light you to deck or patio. Consider rope lights instead of task lighting, as ambiance, to ensure you can add just the amount to yield a magic distance which looks awesome. There is only a noteworthy choice of outdoor series lights willingly available, for instance, vivacious and decorative options, however, eternal white bulbs may squash right into nearly any decorating style along with lawn solar lighting.

Solar powered outdoor path lights on edge of grass lawn
Outdoor Solar Lighting

7.   
Exceptional Floral Arrangement

That you do not certainly have to select a wooden or glass vase into your arrangement decoration experts express that a blossom vase adds a dimension to your room. Use a colored or dark pitcher to create your floral structure. If you’re employing summer pink or white blossoms, go to get a fearless toaster. Choose flowers of neutral tones, when that is printed. Add a couple of greens to the arrangement. This unique arrangement makes a superb summer table décor. Put on a side table into your living room or to your own dining table as a designer centerpiece. This floral arrangement is likely to be a summer party décor that is gorgeous too.

Floral arrangement using sliced oranges as packing and medium
Floral Arrangement with Sliced Oranges

8.   
Custom-Made Chaise Cushions

Rather than settling for the printing that is perhaps maybe not exactly right, make your very own outside chaise cushions using pillows and also the textile material that you like to place on your shabby chic chaise lounge.

Custom personalized cushion on chaise lounge
Customized Chaise Cushions on Chaise Lounge

9.   
Add a Summery Swag Light

These interesting lanterns not just look
fantastic, but these are simple to create. Add a pop of color and also a bit of
style to a property this summer with those summer design paper planters. This
DIY job is fun for every person on your family members. Get a few of the paper
lanterns to get started with this particular undertaking. Get some
yellow-orange or pink tissue papers in the summertime for this lantern. These
summer design lanterns may be used inside and outdoors.

Summery Swag Light Mounted on Wooden Angle

Author’s Info:

Amy Lara

I’m Amy, I write articles in the home
and metal buildings market for the Carport Central. They really are the pioneer
in
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Buildings
industry. Offer customers the ideal and
high-quality services and products are Carport Central’s priority. They are
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Thus, do not wait for the exemplary quality carports or garages, call today at 888-573-1771
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9 DIY Home Decor Ideas in Summer Find more on: Keep It Cartesian Minimalist

4 Ways to Have a Fantastic Trip to Abu Dhabi

As one of the
most exceptional cities in the world, Abu Dhabi is a place that finds itself on
many a traveler’s bucket list. But to make the most out of your holiday in the
UAE capital, best make some plans and have a detailed itinerary.

Before you
jet off to this fascinating destination, read on for four ways to have a
fantastic trip to Abu Dhabi.

1. Research the main attractions

There is no
denying that Abu Dhabi has plenty for you to see and experience, so to make
your time in this emirate truly worthwhile, it is crucial that you conduct a
bit of research so you know exactly where to go and when.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the fourth
biggest mosque in the world and is known for its stunning beauty and intricate
marble work. This stop needs to be at the top of your list of priorities.

Also, while
in Abu Dhabi, you must visit Ferrari World Abu Dhabi for some motorsport-themed
entertainment, the Falcon Hospital to learn about falconry, and the Heritage
Village to see how locals used to live.

If you are an
outdoorsy individual, then plan to spend some time at the Corniche Beach, the
summit of Jebel Hafeet, and the Empty Quarter desert.

2. Plan your itinerary to include some local
food

One of the
best things about traveling is being presented with the ability to taste a wide
variety of different foods that you don’t regularly consume. Luckily for you,
Abu Dhabi is a foodie haven and has
plenty of stellar offerings for you to include on your itinerary.

Make sure you
try the traditional dish harees
which consists of meat and wheat, and is a staple of the Emirati diet.
Obviously, shawarma should be on your list and eating it at a local joint is a
great way to dine like a local. Plus, it is a budget food which makes it
perfect for snack time or lunch. If you are celebrating with a loved one, make
sure to plan for a romantic dinner in Abu Dhabi.

When it comes
to traditional desserts, luqaimat and
khabeesa
are the ones that you want to be on the lookout for. The former
are small fried dough balls that come prepared with sesame seeds and date
syrup. The latter consists of a sweet blend of roasted flour breadcrumbs,
sugar, rose water, cardamom, saffron, ghee, and crushed dates. The perfect
after-dinner treat!

Khabeesa on a plate with almonds

3. Indulge in a Friday brunch

In addition
to the local food experiences listed above, keep in mind that no trip to Abu
Dhabi is complete without a Friday spent indulging in brunch. Unlike in other
parts of the world, where Sunday brunch may be the norm, in Abu Dhabi, Friday
is the day as the weekend is essentially
Friday and Saturday
.

When looking
for the best Friday brunch in Abu Dhabi, make sure to look for somewhere with a
terrace where you can sit outside and enjoy the weather.

Many of the
popular places book up fast, so make a
reservation to ensure you don’t miss out
. For the residents of Abu Dhabi,
this is their favorite time to meet up with friends and catch up on the week,
so do like the locals do and cheers to the weekend.

4. Choose somewhere exceptional to stay.

After a long
day of exploring, there is nothing better than coming home to somewhere that
feels relaxing and welcoming. When looking for a place to call home in Abu
Dhabi, make sure you do thorough research to find the perfect spot for you and
your travel companions.

Always read through the reviews and the
policies of the hotel
.
As you will be visiting an Islamic country, many hotels in Abu Dhabi have
policies that are different from their counterparts in other parts of the
world. For example, you may not be able to share a room with someone unless you
are married. You may also find that your hotel has strict policies concerning
food, alcohol, and smoking.

That being
said, there are some fantastic options for hotels in Abu Dhabi, particularly
luxury resorts. If you are visiting during the summer months, you are likely to find incredible deals, and
you may be able to speak with the manager about combining some additional
freebies. This way, you will see that Emiratis are incredibly hospitable!

Have you ever
traveled to Abu Dhabi before? If so, do you have any tips to make it the best
trip possible? Let us know in the comments below!

The blog post 4 Ways to Have a Fantastic Trip to Abu Dhabi See more on: KeepItCartesian

How to Clean Your Home Like a Pro

As the days finally get brighter, and the evenings get longer, you’ll start to notice just how dusty and unclean certain areas of your home can appear which you were blinded to in the dark winters months. And I understand, at first, it can seem other whelming to tackle your entire home alone, all in the matter of a couple of days.

I have collaborated many tips and tricks that will give you infromative infromation so that you know how to clean your home like a pro.

Top 10 Spring Cleaning Tips

Now I’m no pro, I’m just a woman with a certain set of skills, skills that can make this whole spring clean season a whole lot easier for you. Although I have watched my fair share of cleaning programmes so I’m equipped with all the professional cleaning tips from Kim and Aggie which they have handed down to their viewers through the years.

Just below are my top 10 spring cleaning tips which I have personally tried and had to share them with you today to make your life a whole lot easier because trust me, cleaning turned into a delight once I started using these specific ways to get over certain house maintenance problems

When to Start Spring Cleaning

Typically, the practice of spring cleaning can be done all year round since the phrase is now widely used as a means of thoroughly cleaning a house or home. Although, if you couldn’t guess it used to mean, and technically still does, to clean one’s home in the springtime.

But to answer ‘when to start spring cleaning’, it’s up to you! If you have some time spare, perhaps on a bank holiday or if you’ve taken some time off work, there is no better time to crack on with some housework. Since cleaning out your entire home can be a chore, it’s useful to make a start whenever you can to minimise tasks in the near future.

Cleaning is also a great way to get a new look in your home without too much effort since you’re just making the best of what you already feature within your interior.

House Clean Routine – Make One!

For good results, you need a good plan, and with a good plan, you need to make sure it works for you, so no copying from the internet! Seriously, your house clean routine needs to be something that is personal to you and your goals, so that you are able to work towards it more efficiently and you are more likely too if its something you drafted up yourself.

Disorganized cleaning will give you a lot of missed spots. An effective cleaner will go from room to room, top to bottom ensuring they’ve tackled all those unreachable corners.

If you’ve got a smart device and would much rather keep your cleaning calendar on your device, then you should probably go download Clean My House from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you’re still stuck, he’s an idea of how I went about drafting up mine;

How to Organize House Cleaning Schedule

I wrote down all the task I had had to do, listed them in the order from most enjoyable to least enjoyable; now I know what you’re thinking “how can there really be a different” but trust me there is.

Cleaning my glass table top was far more stressful than hovering the lounge area.

Once you’ve created this list, you’re going to want to get all the annoying things out of the way, while you are at the start of your cleaning mission where you will most likely put up with the gruelling and boring tasks at hand than if you were to leave it till last.

Then go ahead and fit everything into a daily house cleaning schedule, I’d recommend putting the easy stuff at the end of the week, again since its the end of your time cleaning you want to putt the easiest stuff off so you are able to relax more.

At this point you should be ready to start cleaning…that is until you’ve read all of my other spring cleaning tips further down the page!

Use Vodka for Cleaning a Mattress

Now I know what you’re immediately thinking, Kerry has gone crazy.

And yes, I understand vodka is for drinking but trust me on this one, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

So yes, you really can use vodka for cleaning a mattress (if you have any leftover from that party on Saturday night) along with a dash of your favourite essential oil to give it that ‘clean’ smell we all seek for any piece of furnishing in our homes.

Heres how you clean up your mattress;

  1. Use a damp cloth to remove any excess debris or liquids that are still within the affected area.
  2. Fill an empty spray bottle with your Vodka, regardless of the quality, around about 2/3 to not overflow the bottle.
  3. Add your favourite essential oil to give your mattress a refreshing smell. (Mint is my personal favourite)
  4. Make sure to shake the bottle well to mix the two liquids together well; ensure the lid is tight or you’ll be cleaning the vodka up too!
  5. Spray the affected areas with your new favourite cleaning solution. Make sure not to the soak the area, spray with care.
  6. Now leave it to dry completely, don’t bother making the bed just yet, be sure to double check that the mattress is dry before you dress it back up in its usual fashion.

Other Household uses for Vodka

While we’re on the topic of using vodka as a cleaning product, I thought It would be worth mentioning the many other household uses for vodka I have found that doesnt include drinking.

  • Cleaning Windows and Fixtures: Just like with your mattress, you are able to clean your windows and lighting fixtures with a vodka-soaked cloth, which will allow you to add extra sparkle and get a streak-free shine.
  • Soak your feet: If you’re looking to get a natural clean on your feet, perhaps after a long walk with your kids, then soaking them when you’re home will give you back a natural clean.
  • Remove sticky glue: Every bought something with a price sticker on it? well of course you have and I bet you’ve tried to scratch it off too, without it inevitability breaking up on you and leaving the goo behind. Scrubbing the leftover sticker with vodka will completely remove it from the surface.

These are just to name a few of the posobilitties with vodka, I have found plenty more household uses for vodka on List25.

Cleaning with Vodka vs Vinegar

If you’re interested in cleaning your home the eco-friendly way, turning your home into a ‘green-clean home’ then you will have no doubt also heard that people their furniture with vinegar as well as vodka as we have just established just above.

But, what actually Is the difference between cleaning with vodka vs vinegar? If there is even one, to begin with.

After some research and many cleaning sessions of tested, I’ve found out the difference between both cleaning your home with vodka and vinegar is that, well there is none in terms of cleaning. Both work well as solutions when mixed with there respective formulas (essential oils for vodka and water for vinegar).

Although personally, Vodka has to take the crown when it comes to being the best household cleaning simply because the smell that the vinegar cleaner emits is something you don’t want to be around just after cleaning making vodka a far more ideal option…if you’re cleaning something it might as well smell nice too!

Use Proper Surface Cleaning Techniques

This is one hack you could try when cleaning any surface in your house. Don’t just wipe off that dirt haphazardly, as at the end you will waste time since you may fail to hit all the dirty spots while you are cleaning.

Instead, move in a consistent direction and it will be more appropriate if you wipe the surface from left to right or top to bottom than as appose to other surface cleaning techniques.

A dull looking surface makes the surfaces look less appealing and even if you just finished cleaning it, someone else may not notice the difference. To avoid using so much energy and end up disappointed, take hold of a cloth which has a microfiber material, then dampen one half of it.

Leave the other half completely dry and then use the dampened part to wipe off the dirt. Use the dry part to clear the wetness and you will have yourself a sparkling clean home with this technique.

Another trick is using olive oil to buffer your surfaces. Other than using olive oil to cook, get a piece of cloth and grab that pan, or pot or appliance than in a circular motion, rub it to get rid off any dirty spots. Allowing you to achieve a polished look once you finish smoothening out the surfaces.

Easiest Way to Clean an Oven

Many ovens go untouched for months without a proper clean, and when people do eventually use their elbow grease they never usually do a good enough job to make a difference.

For the lazy people who can’t be bothered to clean their oven on their own will instead use the self-cleaning function many ovens seem to come with these days. You’ll realize just how terrible this particular function is since the smell that it produces is revolting and totally not worth it.

However, the easiest way to clean an Oven and certainly the most effective is to use a mixture of household goods. Heres how the pro’s do it;

  1. Remove everything: Whether that’s the oven racks or oven thermometer, make sure to set it aside before beginning.
  2. Create the paste: Grab a small bowl and mix 1/2 a cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water. Keep adding each till the ratio is as stated, it should form together like a paste.
  3. Apply some elbow grease: Spread the paste all over the inside of your oven, BUT make sure you do not apply any to the heating elements. The paste should turn brown once set in the oven and in some cases also goes chunky, which is perfectly fine. The general rule of thumb is to make sure every inch of the oven is cleared and you should pay attention to the greasiest of spots.
  4. Go relax: Let it sit for about 12 hours so the mixture can do its work.
  5. Apply some more elbow grease: Now, after 12hours, take a damp cloth – anything will do – and wipe away as much of the dried baking soda paste you possibly can, this is where the real effort comes into play but its worth it. Using something like a spatula to help scrape off the bits you can’t quite get off yourself may be a good idea.
  6. Clean up: Take some vinegar and put it into an old spray bottle, this will help you get rid of the baking soda residue as this mixture reacts and the baking soda because bubbled and foam like.
  7. Rinse and repeat: Repeat the last step until all the residue has completely gone, and you should be left with a shiny and clean oven.

Best way to clean an oven door

Similar to what I explained on the easiest way to clean an oven, the best way to clean an oven door is to use the same paste you used for inside the oven; no doubt you have a leftover mixture. You want to apply it the inner door side, allover as much as you can.

Let it sit for about half an hour and then come back and wipe it down with a damp cloth to clear off all of the baking soda, again use some vinegar to make sure you are getting rid of all the residue.

Easiest way to clean oven racks

The easiest way I’ve found to do them is cleaning them in a bath, and I know what you’re thinking, that must be unhygienic! Well cleaning the bath before and after cleansing your oven is something you’re going to want to do if that puts your mind at ease.

Simply place your oven racks in the bathtub with enough water so that the racks are covered and then add your favourite dishwashing soap to the bath, around about 1/2 a cup full. And let it sit overnight.

After about 12hours, just like last time, you’re going to want to scrub away any grease that still remains as well as grime and leftover baked bits…

…And you’re done!

Use coffee grounds to eliminate odors from your fridge

If you’re like me, you love coffee and sometimes, yo although you try your hardest you can’t get through it all. But by utilizing what you have and with your leftover beans, use coffee grounds to eliminate odors from your fridge if you’re looking for an easy, eco-friendly way to emit natural orders.

This is seriously effective since coffee is a smell you are already familiar with and it is a smell that is able to effortlessly cover up the overpowering odor the collection of food from your fridge lets off.

Wash Towels with Vinegar

Eventually, whether you like it or not, your towels will begin to have a mildew smell to them, this usually comes about because of a poor drying process as well as the general age of the towels as they collectively gain bacteria that sticks to them over time causing the horrible smell.

That’s why, even when they don’t smell, we recommend you wash towels with vinegar to get rid of that horrible smell.

How to Wash Towels with Vinegar

Don’t worry, there are no endless amounts of supplies you need to get your towels back to their fresh smell, you can sit back and let your washer to do all the work.

Heres how to wash towels with vinegar; the professional way:

Simply wash your load on the hot cycle and add 1 cup of vinegar to the load. Do not bother to use detergent or anything else, just hot water and vinegar. And that’s it, you’re all done, your towels should be smelling fresh and clean as if they were bought yesterday.

Although in some cases, this is not the case, if that is you and you can still smell a faint but noticeable odor, then do the same thing again without the vinegar and this time add baking soda and then you will be able to smell the freshness of your towels.

Best Dusting Techniques

Dusting might seem simple but like any tasks there are set tools and techniques that are perfect for the job, making your whole life a whole lot easier and in addition making your home even more beautiful than it was before.

There are several of the best dusting techniques further down the page, I will let you what to use and how you should be using the specific duster to help you do a professional job.

Types of Dusting Brushes

Microfiber Cloth: Best for dusting and polishing dry or slightly damp surfaces – make sure never to drench your cloth in your particular solution to ensure that you don’t leave solution behind. Use the correct one for the job, fluffy cloths are absorbent and do best to hold the dust while minimising the chance to scratch a surface. Flatweave Microfiber cloths are best for glass and other hard surfaces.

Extendable Microfiber Duster: Similar to that of its cloth counterpart, the extendable microfiber duster should be used for collecting dust and other dirty stains that are up high, in places where you wouldn’t normally be able to reach. Since your dusting from above, you’ll most likely have dust falling on the floor, be sure to hoover this up afterwards.

Lambswool Duster: Best used when dusting large surfaces or hard to get places such as lighting or behind radiators. Ideal too if you’re looking for a duster to use on your surface, since its so gentle you won’t risk marking or tearing the fabric.

Disposable Electrostatic Cloth: Perfect for polishing and cleaning dust prone tablets and TV or even computer screens. It picks up pet hair great too, which always handy if you’re a cat lover like I am.

Homemade Carpet Freshener with Cinnamon

Using cinnamon to freshen up your carpet is a great and cheap way of getting that disgusting smell out of your living space and replacing it with a smell that is much more welcoming.

However don’t be fooled, of course, we aren’t going to go to our spice rack and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on our carpet, we have to mix up a solution first so the carpet can properly take in the fragrance and bring a delicious smell to our nose.

Place baking soda into a jar, any jar will do and puncture holes in the top of the jar lid, so it looks like a large salt or pepper shaker. Once you’ve done that, you can add a few drops of cinnamon to the concoction, the amount you want in there is up to you to experiment with it for a few weeks till you find an amount that is right for you and your home.

Once your mixture is ready, spread it about the house approximately one hour before vacuuming to ensure that you give the mixture enough time to do the trick.

Clean Windows with Vinegar and Newspaper

Wayback, we used to clean windows with our daily newspaper, then soon got lost in the times since more accessible window cleaning solutions were widely available as well as the tools needed to use them. However, if you’re reminiscing of how you used to clean windows with vinegar and newspaper or you just prefer to do things on a budget, you are still able to clean your windows with a trusty newspaper with this particular solution.

What you need:

  • 1 or more dirty windows
  • Newspaper (preferably already read)
  • Vinegar Window Spray

To create the vinegar solution you need to clean your windows, try a recipe of 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap. Mix that in well enough so that the ingredients are properly together and you have your window spray all ready to use.

  1. Dip your newspaper into the jar/cup or whatever it is you have used to contain your solution in.
  2. Use a circular motion to wipe all of the spots on the window off. Then once, all marks are off, switch your pattern to a vertical then horizontal stroke until the liquid has fully dried and spread across the surface area and you should be left with shiny and streak free windows.

If you still wish to clean your windows with newspaper, to be a greener home, but don’t want to use your own vinegar window spray, Zoro has some great products that are an alternative to windex.

How to Clean Glass Windows Without Streaks

A common mistake my friends and I used to make was that we used to clean our windows when the sun was blazing hot because it makes sense right? What other time would you ever be outside cleaning your windows?

Well every window I touched when doing this at this time of day would streak and it used to drive me crazy that was unit after I found out how to clean glass windows without streaks thanks to a recommendation from another friend.

The thing is, blaring hot sun is great for drying things, but during the day when cleaning my windows it would dry out whatever solution I was using to fast therefore the windows would be streaked ridden.

Now, I always wash my windows when there are clouds in the sky, still, I have to pray it doesn’t rain but at least they come out all shiny and clean once I’ve finished them without the assistance of the sun.

Wash Blinds in a Bathtub

Blinds are notoriously annoying in terms of being able to wash them;

You can’t leave them hung up to clean because you’re wont to be able to get all parts of the blinds due to how raised they are and sometimes scrubbing isn’t enough on each blind.

And in addition, you can’t take them down and clean them inside due to the amount of solution you may get everywhere and even if you take them outside they may even just get dirtier than before.

However, there is a more efficient way you can get them clean, you can wash blinds in a bathtub easily with a simple soap solution, I’ve given informative instruction of how to wash blinds in bathtub below

How to wash blinds in a bathtub

Simply lay your blinds flat in the tub that is a few inches deep with warm water., and add a mixture of some, you favourite dishwasher soap will do the trick, along with a little vinegar.

Let them soak for about an hour after this time rinse them off with some fresh water and hang them outside to give them a chance to dry, then put them back to wherever they were in the home.

How to Clean Your Home Like a Pro was originally seen on Keep It Cartesian By Kerry Cartesian

The block TV show winners Dee Jolly interior design

Darren and Deanne Jolly

Reality television is all around us, for better or for worse it is a guilty pleasure for millions of viewers. When it comes to home improvement TV shows, what’s not to like, observing a rundown home get renovated and decorated into a home of your dreams has the populations attention. So combine both – reality TV meets home improvement and you have a winning formula. That’s exactly what the Australian hi, The Block TV Show, is.

The Block pits 4 or 5 couples against one another to renovate and decorate houses or apartments and then sell them off at auction to the highest bidder. The couple whose renovation fetches for the most money wins… a very simple formula, yet very entertaining.

Originally airing in 2003 and 2004, the show was on a long break until returning with even more success and a higher production budget in 2010. The most notable block winners to come from the TV show are Darren and Dee Jolly.

 

The Dee and Darren Bathroom

 

The Dee & Darren Bathroom

The Darren & Deanne Bathroom

 

Another bathroom from The Block Glasshouse

The Block glasshouse main bathroom

 

The Block – What’s Happening Now

The last series of The Block was The Block 2017 Australia, premiered on 30th July, it received very popular television number and episode 52, the final, had over 2.2 million viewers. The overall winner from The Block 2017 contestants was Elyse & Josh.

The loved show has returned this year, The Block 2018 Australia has wrapped filming and the weekly show is only 2 weeks in. The Block 2018 contestants focus on the winning format of  5 couples but rumors are that the 2019 show could in-fact feature 8 couples.

The Block TV show advert graphic

 

Who Are Darren and Deanne Jolly?

With the amount of success, viewers and sponsorship The Block was bringing in, it was no doubt that the best of the best would gain fame. Darren and Deanne first appeared in season 9, in what was titled ‘The Block Glasshouse’. The Glasshouse episode was set in Melbourne at the Glasshouse building, 121-127 High Street. The building used in season 9 was double the size of the Dux House, the property used in the previous season. What made season 9 of the Block more interesting was that for the first time in the show, not only did the judges cast a vote on contestant’s rooms / homes but the other contestants also cast a vote on each other. Even though Darren and Dee didn’t actually win season 9 they became the nation’s favorite, with their talent, charisma and personality. Most notably for their incredible provincial Bathroom, the viewers nicknamed it ‘the Dee and Darren bathroom’.

Following their popularity, Dee and Darren returned to the show for season 10 in which 3 couples went head to head in what was known as The Block: Triple Threat.

 

 

Where Are Darren and Dee Jolly Now

When Darren & Deanne Jolly finished the block they were on the hunt in search of their next project. With a passion and immense talent for interior design and home renovation, it was no surprise that Darren became a qualified builder and both of them set up their own Darren and Deanne Jolly Interior design business.

The couple’s first project was a cottage measuring 700 square feet in a decent street. The cottage, when first purchased was in a dire state and needed a lot of work – Darren and Dee Jolly where the right people for the job.

All was going well with the business and Daren and Deanne Jolly until suddenly, tragedy struck. Darren was experiencing numerous severe headaches and after examination it was thought that Darren Jolly had a brain tumor. Darren was straight in for a long grueling surgery and thankfully it was a benign cyst located in the right middle of his brain. After months of recuperation Darren is now on the mend and plans on soon getting back to his and his wife’s business.

Youtube video of a brief interview with Darren & Dee after the brain tumor

if video is not displayed click here

The article The block TV show winners Dee Jolly interior design is courtesy of Keep It Cartesian Interior Blog

Are unique designer items for interior design worth the money

In another hopefully helpful article by “Keep It Cartesian” we show how designer items for interior design give you a chance to express/show your unique sense of style to your home with a personal touch. The creativity and passion that is behind every article of designer items is a true delight. It is worth to spend an extra coin on the distinctive and unique designer interior items to decorate your house rather than using a mass of randomly selected items.

Unique designer items offer you an affordable and easy way of creating a long lasting impact on your interior design. However, you need inspiration in order for you to decide how well to decorate your house using designer home accessories. It is paramount for you to check each room in your home carefully. You should consider the structure and layout of each room and mark spots that you should draw a person’s attention away from. In other words, decide in which areas you will place your designer items. Also, find out what kind of designer items that you will need.

 

Arne Jacobson Vintage Copper Egg Chair

Egg Chair by Arne Jacobson

Identify Focal Points

When you are considering to buy designer items for your home, it is essential to find focal points in your house where you will place the items once you buy them. A focal point is a place where you would like to draw the eyes to. Some of the items that you can place at such a point include earthenware vase, sculpture or painting to mention just but a few.

It is essential to select only special, unique and lovely items to display and avoid all clutter items. Ensure that you brainstorm and make a possible list of items that you will need. Also, make sure that you group the designer items that you need according to theme or style. This handy guide by The Spruce called “Creating and defining a focal point” goes into detail about identifying focal points. You can group the items as follows:

  • Object type
  • Glass
  • Color
  • Porcelain

A typical focal point of a room

A typcial fireplace focal point

image sourced from The Spruce

 

 

Plan Your Approach

Once you know the kind of designer items that you require, it will be easy to find them. Moreover, it will be easy for you to be creative and stylish. However, do not be too strict such that it will be devoid of creativity and expression. It is essential to have a thematic approach to ensure that each display will be symmetrical.

You can use different splashes of colors and textures to bring liveliness to your home. For instance, if you want to display family pictures, buy similar but non-identical frames that complement each other and match with the theme of your house. You can use things like:

For a more detailed deep dive into this topic head over to “Jack Brunsdon`s” to the article “How to approach an interior design project

 

Find The Best Prices

When you are purchasing designer interior design items, it is better to buy online because you are likely to find more options. There are numerous talented designers online who have unique and quality designer items for interior design like Claire Davies from “Clairedaviesinteriors.co.uk“. Compared to mainstream stores, they have a wider range of unique designer items often exclusively sold by them alone.

Most importantly, purchasing your designer interior design items online allows you to compare prices from different retailers and hence get the best deal for your money.

 

Conclusion

There are numerous unique designer interior design items available on the market today. You can be sure of finding special, unique, lovely and quality designer items that will help you to come up with a beautiful, warm and inviting interior of your home. Designer interior design items for interior home design are worth spending your money on.

Are unique designer items for interior design worth the money is courtesy of Keep It Cartesian Minimalist

minimal holiday apartment For design enthusiasts

Polish office Thisispaper Studio has branched out into hospitality, with the opening of a minimalist holiday apartment in Warsaw’s historical Praga district.

Called A-Place, the one-bedroom apartment is located within a new housing estate that is set inside a former 19th-century vodka distillery in the Polish capital of Warsaw.

The apartment, which marks the first hospitality project to be carried out by Thisispaper Studio, is described founders Zuzanna Gasior and Alexander Zaharov as “a place where both the body and the spirit can unwind”.

The duo wanted it to reflect the minimal aesthetic Thisispaper has become known for while providing tourists with a space to explore Warsaw in an “an unconventional way”.

Designed in its entirety by Gasior and Zaharov, an interior and graphic designer respectively, the apartment is neutrally decorated with white walls and natural wood flooring.

Furnishings and accessories include pieces by designers such as Dieter Rams, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Richard Sapper, Nao Tamura, and Louis Poulsen.

“Furnishing the apartment was at once the most exciting and challenging part,” said the duo. “To recreate the ambience of Warsaw, where its recent past intertwines daily with novelty and progress, we combined authentic vintage furniture with pieces designed by contemporary designers whose work we follow and admire.”

“Regardless of their provenance, what the pieces always have in common is modesty and restriction, idée fixe of the design ethos that has guided Thisispaper from the start.”

While the kitchen features dark-stained timber cabinetry and a stainless steel worktop, the rest of the apartment is decorated in light neutral colours.

In the bedroom, a low-level bed is framed by a light green headboard, and the bathroom is covered in off-white tiles.

Aiming to appeal to those interested in architecture and design, the apartment is equipped with books and magazines about the creative industries.

Visitors can also find origami kits, organic Japanese tea and freshly roasted local coffee. A vintage sound system from the 1970s encompassing a gramophone, an amplifier, a tuner and selected vinyl is located in the living room.

“We designed A–Place from scratch, guided by our love for honest, natural materials, such as wood, steel, ceramics and linen,” said the studio.

“Every surface, object and colour has been hand-picked in line with our design philosophy that creates harmony through a focus on function and purity of form.”

Warsaw-based Thisispaper Studio started out in 2011 as an online magazine but has since launched a print magazine and an online and store bricks and mortar store, located in a Soviet-era dental clinic in Warsaw.

A-Place is the first hospitality project to be completed by the studio.

“For a while now we’ve been meaning to take the Thisispaper experience from digital to reality,” said Gasior and Zaharov. “We created a space where our values take a tangible form, available to everyone that chooses to make Warsaw a stop in their journey.”

Contunie reading this artcile frmo its orignal source on the Dezeen, which you can find here:

The post minimal holiday apartment For design enthusiasts See more on: KIC

7 Types of Medium Density Fiberboards

What is a Medium Density Fiberboard – MDF?

MDF stands for Medium Density Fiberboard, which is a manufactured wood using wood particles and chippings which are then commonly glued together. There are many different boards that are available in today’s market, such as Particle Board, Fiber Board, Laminated Board, Veneered Board and the list goes on. The usage in MDF sheets the past few decades have spiked due to the low cost in which it is to manufacture and to purchase such boards, each type of MDF has its own pros and cons and depending what the task at hand is, there will be a perfect board for the job. If you’re now asking yourself what type of MDF should you be considering this year when fulfilling your projects, then we will help guide you with all your MDF 2018 needs.

Is MDF Good For The Environment?

Most MDF boards have a few environmental issues, as it has the potential to emit formaldehyde as off-gas because of the adhesives used in manufacturing. Formaldehyde, in most cases, causes plenty of short-term health effects, such as watery eyes, respiratory irritation and many other, annoying and unnecessary problems. Formaldehyde affects sounds more annoying than anything serious but in fact, due to recent studies, the particular emissions is now seen as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and a “probable human carcinogen” by the EPA. The reason the furniture emits such high formaldehyde values which are slightly above 0.1 parts per million is that of the type of glue which is used to assemble the board together, commonly lower formaldehyde glues are more expensive to buy and manufacture. In addition to this, boards that use this resin to be completed generally take longer to set, which further increases expenses due to the longer creation time of the product. If you wish to read even more on the topic before you form your final opinion, please fell free to read on here.

Cheap MDF

What is Particle Board?

Particle boards, as the name suggests, are made up of wooden particles which are bonded together with a form of resin, particularly some form of glue as its safe, reliable and predominantly cheap. These boards also mistakenly get referred to as a chipboard due to their chipboard texture like surface. Environmentally friendly, due to the fact the boards are made with wood throwaways like sawdust, shavings and chipping which would generally just go to waste after being cut from their parent log. All of its contents is then sent through a wood chipper so that all of the particles are equal in size so that the fibreboard is an even size once put together with the resin. As we have just mentioned, the resin is then mixed together with the particles and placed in a sheet to keep everything compact, usually, this would also have some form of weight on it to make sure the fiber board sticks together and forms an equal shape. Particle boards can be used for small-scale furniture such as cupboards, plenty of minimalist style furniture is made up from these exact boards due to the curvy and reliable things you can design with them when used correctly, a particular favourite is particle board cabinets as they are cheap and reliable to have in your home. There are many different areas of your home that you may want to spruce up, adding particle board detailings around your windows, doors and floor or even ceiling in the form of elegant trims and mouldings. It’s particularly popular for these things because it is easy to create furniture and decor with and even easier to paint. If you’re interested in other uses you could get out of particle board, please feel free to read this helpful article about such uses.

particle board cabinets

What is Plywood?

Plywood is the most widely available manufactured MDF material sheet which you can get on today’s market and for good reason. It is assembled like the other boards by bonding together a large number of soft or hardwood veneers, generally, the more veneers MDF sheets which are used, the stronger the plywood will be. Particularly on floors, plywood panels may include groove edges that allow each board to be slotted together to allow them to become one, meaning they will stay sturdy and will also be great when used for an underlay like skin suitable before you place tiles. The water proof plywood thickness makes this an even stronger choice if you’re looking for a particular board to be used in your floor and roofing project. Along with plywood flooring, this board is also known as ‘playwood’ due to the many uses that you can get out of it when making children’s furniture and activity units, the name suits it very well due to the low plywood price, which enforces the creative but fitting name even more. Plywood can be bought at various locations and in fact, places like home depot will cut your plywood if you do not have a plywood cutting machine at hand, which makes it the perfect sort of wood if you’re looking to do some DIY around your home

plywood exterior

What is Fiber Board?

Fiber board is a high-density particle board and manufactured using a similar process as particle board and hardie board/hardee board. Although we did say particle boards are environmentally friendly due to the use of wood waste, rather than cutting down fresh tree’s the fiber boards are slightly different in the fact that the particles are made up of similar wood cuttings except that these are formed together with organic fiber from sugarcane and vegetable starch, which is a lot more safer than man created resins. This Fiberboard is certainly the one for you if you are always considering the environment but you’re in desperate need of some reliable MDF boards. You can’t doubt their practicalness as they are used when creating residential and commercial buildings due to the soundproofing quality which they hold.

fiber wood

What is Stirling Board?

Also known as OSB, manufactured from softwood strands which have then been compressed and bonded together with water resistant resins making this the perfect MDF material to be used in somewhere like a bathroom as it will make for a strong hold that will not be affected by the moisture. This particular MDF should only be used in in places where appearance is not a matter as the surface is a little rough and somewhat awkward to give it an appealing finish, this is why this type of board is generally found on the back of wardrobes or at the bottom of a bed because this is somewhere, in theory, no one will get to view. Particularly if you wanted to use such fibreboard for a display piece, as part of some furniture or other decorations, you will need to sand the boards down first to get rid of their rough texture so that it is a lot easier to paint over them.

osb wood

What is Chip board?

Chipboard is not so dissimilar to a laminated board, as the creation process consists of heating and assembling at high pressure. The key difference is that instead of layers of fibreboard bonded together, chipboard is just made up of wood particles which are stuck with resin all at once, meaning that it isn’t as reliably strong as the laminated board may be but it will be a lot cheaper because of the shorter manufacturing process. Similar to laminated board it is also possible to give the MDF wood more style by painting the chipboard with colours of your choice. Chipboard has seen a high spike in uses by furniture manufacturing companies such as IKEA as it makes the perfect durable material to be used for flat pack furniture a long with it being great for kitchen furnitures such as worktops and flooring.

chipboard thickness

What is Laminated Board?

Laminated boards are a type of hardboards that you would particularly find if you took apart that beautiful shabby chic sideboard that you feature in your hallway, because of its reliable strength and durableness. The particular board consists of a number of thinner boards which have been created with wood fibres that have then been exposed to high heat and put together with the use of equal high pressure to enable the sheets to essentially blend together and become one. With strong and stiff qualities, this particular MDF wood is more common for larger furnishings, the complete opposite of what particle boards and fibre boards would be used for.

laminated beams

What is Veneered Board?

The final board in which we will look at is the veneered board, this is a great board if you really want the natural wood look along with the feel. Because the MDF panel can be veneered with decorative wood patterns sheets you can get a lot more creative use out of this particular fibreboard than you might be able to with something like a particle board. Although the drawbacks of this board if any, is that you can only use it on gradual curves as when the Medium Density Fiberboard has dried up you could find yourself with cracks across your design and of course, no one wants this look.

wood panneling

The blog post 7 Types of Medium Density Fiberboards is courtesy of KeepItCartesian

Just how many styles of shabby chic are their

What is old is now new again! About a century ago, Shabby Chic antique style took America by storm with its charm, simplicity and elegance and many years down the line; this look surprisingly remains popular and relevant across the globe.

Beautiful, eclectic and versatile, this style blends well with historic homes which boast great bones, not to mention those homes which are, of course, shabbier. And while these are remarkable aspects, sticking around this long has been primarily due to its ability to embrace upgrading, recycling, and DIY.

In its original format, Shabby Chic style is a blend of warm flower-bedecked English cottage approach merged with a touch of contemporary style of Californian coastal lifestyle. In establishing this particular feminine style, Ashwell was not under any obligation to follow any rules and as such she began incorporating Zen elements, earth materials such as stone and warm natural woods into her aesthetic.

Currently, Shabby Chic has maneuvered its way into a trendy interior design approach that has surpassed all expectations surviving the test of time to remain stable in a stupendously continually changing design world and has hit the mainstream being found at many places online such as Homes Direct 365, The Painted Lady & The Bella Cottage.

Nonetheless, only in very limited instances can you find Shabby Chic in its pure original form. It has slightly been modified to better adapt and blend into new scenery. Numerous variations can integrate well with this antique style but below are the most popular modern variations that have diversified its contemporary application across the globe catapulted it into a timeless gem’ in the world of interior designs.

Modern Variations of Shabby Chic Style

# 1 Belgian style Shabby Chic

In general, armchairs and sofas associated with Shabby Chic design are usually overstuffed, and feature rolled arms. However, with the Belgian Style, the lines adopt a more gentle and slender style. What’s more, burlap and linen takes the place of cotton denim which was traditionally the primary element
Belgian style shabby chic display cabinet

# 2 Colourful palette for Shabby Chic

In a room where the entire interior of the house is painted in one uniform color say white, it is customary for Shabby Chic design to concentrate on a single bold accent color to establish a visual contrast with the rest of the space. For instance, you can decide to use a Turquoise floor to create a contrast with the white color for example.
Turqoise accent piece

# 3 Crisp black and white Shabby Chic

For you that loves vibrant oppositions and contrast feelings, by using black and white colors, you can produce a classic blend that reflects the elegance and controversial emotions simultaneously.

To complement the furniture and overall interior, you can use a black and white rug rather than the typical floral one.
Black and white shabby chic layout

# 4 Shabby Chic with objects collected from nature

Items such as bird’s nests and seashells play a remarkable decorative role when positioned at an ideal location in an interior. What’s more, once you have collected them, they can become a great reason to remind you of some of your loveliest and sweetest memories of your past moments. The secret is in where you place them.
Tree branch shabby chic lamp

# 5 Shabby Chic with earthy tones

It is no secret that women adore gorgeous sweet looking interiors. You can surprise your lady with an interior design featuring an appealing earthy tone. The tones that blend well with this style including greens, tans, and browns.
Earthy tone shabby chic room

# 6 Modern Rustic Shabby chic

All of us want a home that is not only orderly but has some touch of warmth to it. The modern rustic is the way to go about it. It is an exclusive reaction to the pretty and fussy shabby chic style. You can use a crisp rug boasting thick stripes which can not only work as a standard grounding element but can also add to the coziness of the room. The room can also use wide panels (pine) on both the ceiling and floor.

Modern rustic shabby chic room

Just how many styles of shabby chic are their was originally seen on KeepItCartesian