~Press~

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR HOME

January – Remove your holiday decorations by the second week in January.  
Nobody wants to see icicle lights or reindeer on your lawn in February,
whether they be your neighbors or prospective buyers.

February – Apply a fresh coat of paint to any rooms that need it.  This is one
of the least expensive ways to add a change to the inside of your home.

March – While Spring cleaning, move some things around from collectibles to
furniture to give you a fresh perspective and appreciation of your belongings.

April – Wash all your windows.  Seems so simple but a lot of people don't do
it.  This will allow the maximum light into your home after a winter cooped up
inside.  On warmer days, open some windows to freshen up the house.  

May – Clean up your deck or patio, as well as any outdoor furniture.  Start
planting flowers and other plants after your last frost.  You will, after all, be
doing a lot of your living outdoors in the coming months.

June – Bring your Fall/Winter window treatments and slipcovers to the dry
cleaners for cleaning and pressing, so they will be ready for fall.  Use sheers at
your windows for the summer months.

July – Bring candles outdoors to extend your enjoyment of your outdoor
room into the night.  Whether floating candles for the pool or pond, pillar or
votive for the table, hanging from tree branches or tall candle stands for those
dark corners, candles will make for a very relaxed atmosphere as you
entertain, or even just for enjoying your home on your own.

August – It's too hot to go outside?  Crank the A/C up and organize your
bookcases.  Keep only those that you think you will read again or that have
some reference value.  Donate those you will get rid of to your library or local
hospital.  Take the paper covers off and intersperse the books with pictures
and collectibles.  Stop, stand back and look every so often to make sure the
arrangement is pleasing to the eye.  

September –Change out your lampshades.  Rather than purchasing a new
lamp to replace a tired one, a lampshade can give a lamp new life.  While
you're at it, remove the light bulbs and clean them with a damp cloth.  Dust
cuts down on light output.

October – Bring those throws back out and toss them over your sofa or chair.  
Fluff and freshen your pillows and throws by putting them in the dryer on a
"fluff" setting (no heat) with a scented dryer sheet.  

November –Easy and inexpensive slipcovers can be found at SureFit, which
constantly adds to its selection.  Try chenille, corduroy or tapestry-like fabrics.

December – Early in the month go through your holiday decorations, deciding
what you will use, what can be discarded and what you need to get.

Copyright 2007 - Kathy Passarette, Creative Home Expressions
Media Contact:
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(516) 557-2695
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Copyright 2007, 2008 Creative Home Expressions
"The only real freedom we have is our
home.  Only there can we express
anything we want." ~ William Haines
~Articles and Tips~
                       
   
          What Is Green Design and How You Can Bring It Into Your Home


Seeing Green?  No, not the green-eyed monster, but eco-friendly decorating in your
home.  Also known as sustainable design or environmentally friendly decorating, using
these products can have a healthy impact on people and the planet.  Kathy Passarette of
Long Island, NY-based Creative Home Expressions offers six simple tips for you to “go
green”:

    Kravet supports the beauty and health of our planet by offering fabrics that are eco-
friendly and environmentally conscious.  This involves the use of all-natural and
sustainable yarns or recycled components.  The Kravet Green Collection is made of
100% recycled polyester.  These fabrics are woven and treated with no additional
chemicals.  Best of all, after years of enjoyable use, these fabrics are recyclable.  To
view this beautiful line of fabrics visit www.kravetgreen.com.  You can use these fabrics
to re-upholster furniture, make pillows or for window treatments.

    Window treatments, such as bamboo shades are a naturally renewable resource that
doesn’t require pesticides.  Window treatments can also work with your heating and
cooling bills.  Smith & Noble’s honeycomb shades (also known as cellular shades)
provide substantial insulation with little weight, keeping rooms warmer in winter and
cooler in summer.  These shades have 5 out of 5 stars for energy efficiency.  Also
available are solar shades, which provide UV protection to save your furnishings from
fading and minimize glare on tv and computer screens.  In sun-facing rooms they
reduce heat transfer from outdoors, not only adding to your comfort, but reducing
your air conditioning bills.  These solar shades have 4 out of 5 stars for energy
efficiency.  Visit Smith and Noble at www.smithandnoble.com.

    Light bulbs such as those by Phillips, which offer higher-end fluorescent bulbs,
whether overhead lighting or task lighting that will cast a pure white or buttery glow
rather than the harsh light of lower-end fluorescent bulbs.  These bulbs can be screwed
in just like regular bulbs and they last 10 times longer.  Another option would be
halogen bulbs; they produce more light and use less electricity.  These bulbs cost more,
but each halogen bulb last approximately 2-3 years.

    Flooring by FLOR not only has great designs to choose from, but it is a functional and
versatile product.  In the last 12 years, FLOR has reduced their manufacturing waste by
63% and greenhouse gas emissions by 56% worldwide.  They also have an R&R
Program (Return-Recycle) where they will arrange for your used carpet tiles to be
picked up and shipped back to their mill, where the old tiles will be recycled into new
product.  You can view the many available options at www.interfaceflor.com.

    Use EnergyStar appliances, such as energy-efficient dishwashers and refrigerators.  
EnergyStar qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50%
less energy and water than standard models.  If just one in 10 homes used EnergyStar
qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.  

    Use “green” paint and other finishing materials that have low or zero levels of VOC
(volatile organic compounds), which means that the rate of their emissions or
dissipation is as fast as possible.  Paint companies such as Sherwin Williams’ new
Harmony line of paints, Olympic Paint and Stain and Benjamin Moore’s Pristine
EcoSpec offer zero VOC paints.  Adding a color tint usually brings the VOC level up to
10 grams/liter, which is still quite low.  Low VOC paints use water as a carrier instead of
petroleum-based solvents.  These certified coatings also contain no, or very low levels,
of heavy metals and formaldehyde.  Low VOC paints will still emit an odor until dry.  

A little forethought put into your interior decorating plans can provide you with an
environmentally friendly home with little effort.  Kravet says it best with their Green
slogan – “Reuse – Recycle – Redecorate”.  


Copyright 2008 Kathy Passarette, Creative Home Expressions
New for 2008 ~ Visit
our blog at:
Creative Home
Expressions Blog
Featured Designer on AvaLiving.com for July 20th through July
26, 2008.  You can visit the website through this link  
AvaLiving.com.