Home Sweet Home

Colour has the most profound influence on the atmosphere of any room, but with a vast array of papers, paints and fabrics to choose from it is a subject that can seem bewilderingly complex. Reaction to colour, combinations of colour, patterns and texture deeply affect the way we feel.

Some make us feel secure, others make us initially optimistic but pall after a short time.There seem to be innumerable variations with few set rules. Some people have a natural eye for the fine gradations of colour, others can barely detect the difference between yellow and ochre. (more…)

Don’t let the different terms confuse you. To help identify carpet weights and suitability, manufacturers and retailers label all carpets with guidelines to their usage, fibre content and durability, so you can check that you’re choosing the right carpet for the right room.

For any area where the floor is going to be in constant use — where looks and a long life really matter — the best option is a mix of 80 per cent pure wool and 20 per cent man-made fibres. This combines the natural quality, resilience and good looks of wool with just enough synthetic fibre to strengthen it.

Carpets with a higher proportion of synthetic fibre — right down to 100 per cent nylon or polyester — will be good enough for low-use areas like bedrooms, and for use underneath rugs. (more…)

The home and its setting in the landscape symbolize our relationship with nature. A building can be constructed in such a way that it supports the natural ecology of the area — the vegetation, water, and wildlife — or it can be disruptive and damaging. Most buildings have a major impact on the local environment and unless the degree of disturbance is carefully controlled and the land restored afterward, the delicate ecological balance could be destroyed.

For your home to be comfortable yet use as little energy as possible, working with nature rather than against it is the fundamental principle. The location, siting, and orientation are all vitally important if you are to gain the maximum benefit of winter sun but also make the most of shelter given by hills and trees against any prevailing winter winds and summer overheating. A well-sited, energy-efficient home will use the natural features of the locality and, therefore, will never have to draw on as much supplementary energy as one built without any regard for its surroundings. (more…)

Due to the environment many of us live in, the sense of smell is becoming increasingly less important. The full capacities of this once vital sense are being subconsciously subordinated to the other senses of hearing and seeing. In other species the sense of smell is much more highly developed as, indeed, it is in those human societies today that remain in close contact with nature and depend on this sense, in conjunction with all the others, for day-to-day survival.

Denying your senses

Your nose is an extremely sensitive sensory organ and your sense of smell is many thousands of times more acute than your sense of taste. Because of this, you, like everybody else, have probably experienced a sudden and vivid association evoked by a particular smell, perhaps reminding you of a person, place, or event often from long ago and until that moment quite forgotten.

But air pollution, both indoors and outdoors, dulls and damages the sense of smell. By reacting badly to an unpleasant smell your body is warning you that you should not be breathing that air. But if you have no choice, as many of us don’t, then the warning goes unheeded. But you do pay a price. (more…)

Although timber is a renewable, natural material we are using the resources at such an alarming rate that they may cease to be sustainable. The tropical rainforests are fast disappearing and, in the West, acid rain and the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers are damaging vast tracts of woodland. The practice, for commercial gain, of replacing slow-growing deciduous forests with the faster conifer plantations places increasing demands on the import of hardwood, and causes the degradation of the landscapes from which they come. And the demand is not only for construction and joinery timbers; we fell millions of trees annually for the production of woodpulp for paper and packaging materials.

We can help to conserve the dwindling supplies of timber by making better use of existingresources. We can reuse old construction timbers, purchase second-hand furniture, and recycle others; for interior use we can also use certain composite boards if they meet health and ecological criteria. Cork and linoleum are again popular and far healthier than their synthetic counterparts. (more…)

Natural plant fibres, animal skins, and bird feathers have always been the staples of our clothing, furnishing, and bedding. Remains found in eastern Europe indicate that 20,000 years ago people lived in tents of hide stretched over frames of wood or mammoth tusks. But it was another 13,000 years before we see any evidence of weaving.

In China, silkworm farms flourished in the Yellow River Valley 5000 years ago, and wall hangings, carpets, and scrolls in intricate and beautifully worked patterns were woven on bamboo looms. Carpetmaking probably originated with nomads as a means of keeping their tents warm. Later it became an art form, finding its finest expression in the carpets of Persia. Wool and silk were dyed with chamomile flowers, madder root, and acorns and carpets and rugs were made in geometric designs or symbolic patterns of flowers and birds. In the 19th century, the subtle, slowly fading colours were replaced by the brighter hues of synthetic dyes. (more…)

Creating spaces in the home

Before making any changes, you and all the members of your household need to understand how you react to the present arrangement of spaces in your home and how you want them modified, and why. You have to know what you are aiming for even if the achievement of it seems difficult or a long way in the future.

The simplest change — introducing natural colours and scents, more plants, a water filter, recycling paper — made in response to these feelings is an important first step. It gives you confidence to go on and gradually make more ambitious changes. Use your own ideas and, as you become more health and environment aware, one thing will lead to another. Doing things yourself, within reason, is much more creative and satisfying (and also far less expensive) than always buying something ready made or employing professionals. It depends on the level of the change and your skill — be sensible and don’t try to do too much at once. Always bear safety in mind and avoid hazardous jobs, such as electrical work, that need a qualified person. (more…)

Sleep and dreams are healing, bringing physical, mental, and spiritual relief. But the amount of sleep we need varies greatly: infants sleep nearly all the time, toddlers nearly 12 hours, adolescents 10, active adults around 8 hours, and elderly people much less — at night. In old age, as in hot climates, we tend to sleep in the afternoons. Personal sleep patterns vary, too, depending on whether you are a “lark” or an “owl”.

Much more important than the amount of sleep you get each day is its quality, and this is influenced by the location, layout, and furnishing of your sleeping space. Choose bedrooms at the ba^ck of the house, away from loud street noises, and if possible shielded by trees. Avoid areas that are noisy, such as those above or next to utility rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms (although elderly people will need one nearby). Try to create a restful atmosphere, excluding television, telephones (again, the elderly or infirm should have access to one), and intrusive clutter. And consider applying the Chinese art of placement, feng shui, to layout (see below). (more…)

On average we spend a third of our lives in bed, and the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the home. That is why we should spend time and effort on creating a peaceful, harmonious, and more soothing atmosphere within it. Here we can relax and unwind, rest, study, meditate, or exercise. The bedroom is a private and personal place where we can take refuge during periods of ill health and bad humour or when we need to retreat from the world and be by ourselves. And the bedroom is the most popular place for making love.

Above all, the room should express tranquillity. The economy, simplicity, and understatement of the traditional Japanese bedroom evokes this atmosphere perfectly. The natural materials have soft textures and subdued colours: wood and bamboo, plain plaster, shoji paper, and pale green tatami mats all create that soothing atmosphere that is conducive to peace of mind and physical relaxation. (more…)

Nylon

A percentage of nylon is generally used to give additional toughness and abrasion- resistance to other fibers, wool especially.

The most important other use for nylon in upholstery is for stretch covers. These were invented for nylon, because it has a high degree of elasticity and is given a two-way stretch when knitted. It can be so knitted into plain or textured fabrics in one or more colours. It is eminently washable. The one snag is finding the ready-made cover to fit your chair in the colour/pattern you like. And there are problems in making up stretch fabrics at home.

Care: On its own, nylon can he washed. In a blend, follow instructions.

Acrylics

The Acrylic family of fibres has not been used for woven fabrics. Knitted fabrics may become more common as the rising prices of other fibres make acrylics comparatively cheaper. (more…)