Monday, November 8, 2010

The art of placement or placement of art

 
 
THE ART OF PLACEMENT
Placing art in your home is an art in itself. Where do you start? Framing, lighting and the furniture all play a part in the proper placement and display of artwork. A few rules and some suggestions might help you show off your artwork to maximum advantage.
Art should always be at eye level. If you're hanging a large piece over the sofa, place it about three inches above the back of the sofa. It should not be floating somewhere near the ceiling. And art doesn't necessarily need to be centered. Consider the entire grouping, including the lamps, candlesticks and other parts of the arrangement.
A single small framed piece will look better if hung on a narrow wall, close to a door frame or over a small table or dresser to anchor it. A smaller piece left stranded alone on an otherwise barren expanse of wall will look lost and incidental.
Little framed pieces look nice on the wall below the line of the lampshade. The grouping draws attention and they'll be well lighted too. Lighting adds a finishing touch to artwork, yet illumination is frequently not where it should be. If you're building or remodeling, consider where art will be placed and install lighting accordingly.
Track lighting and recessed eyeball-style fixtures fitted with halogen bulbs are preferred for illuminating artwork. These fixtures bathe the work in just the right amount and right type of light. If possible, avoid the use of lights attached directly to picture frames. Heat and light so close to artwork can damage it.
Choosing the right frame is just as important as deciding where the artwork goes. Frames follow fashion trends. Equally important however to fashion trends is carrying through on the style of your home. Frame your artwork to compliment the general decor of your home.

Monday, November 1, 2010

TOP 10 WAYS TO HAVE A GREEN THANKSGIVING

 
 
TOP 10 WAYS TO HAVE A GREEN THANKSGIVING
If you are looking for ways to green up your Thanksgiving celebration this year, look no further. Here are the top 10 green tips to make your Thanksgiving as eco-friendly as possible.

1- Go organic: An organic Thanksgiving feast is not only healthy and tasty, but can also help the environment. Free-range turkey, fresh vegetables from local farmers, and treats from the organic bakery are just a few choices for your organic cornucopia of food this year.

2- Shop locally: It’s been said that each ingredient in the average Thanksgiving dinner travels 1500 miles to get to our table. Shopping and buying from local farmers means your food travels less distance, using less gas, and in turn produces less carbon dioxide emissions. Plus it is usually fresher!

3- Packaging: When you go to the store, buy things that have the least amount of packaging and try to buy packaging that is environmentally friendly.

4- Use reusable shopping bags: When running around picking up all of your necessities for the big day, make sure you bring along reusable shopping bags.

5- Celebrate Thanksgiving at home: Avoid the extra emissions from traveling by plane or car, and plan your celebration at home this year. You’ll be helping reduce global warming simply by reducing your pollution quotient.

6- Send out homemade Thanksgiving cards: It’s an easy way to say ‘Thank You’ to friends and loved ones, and gives you yet another creative project to keep you (or the kids!) busy on those chilly days before the celebration.

7- Use soy candles to decorate with: Decorating your living and dining space with soy candles is an eco-friendly option, and you’ll find plenty of fragrant pillar candles, votives, and floating candles to complement your look.

8- Pick out natural or organic Thanksgiving décor: From bamboo placemats to homemade napkin rings, make a commitment to go green by decorating with an eco-friendly touch. Making Thanksgiving decorations at home is another way to get the whole family involved in a creative project.

9- Drink the green way: Lift a glass of organic or biodynamic wine, in recycled glasses of course, and give thanks to sustainability. Serve organic wine with “real” corks not plastic or twist off tops. Your eco-friendly Thanksgiving party will be helping preserve the cork industry.

10- Make a commitment to recycle: Make an extra effort to make sure you’re recycling all of the paper, plastic, tin and glass from your Thanksgiving celebration properly.