From the Floors Up

How To Combine Color, Energy, and Nature To Create a Happy Home — Part 2

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Part 2 – The Bedroom and Office

The Bedroom

Color: Blue evokes serenity, reassurance, and calm. It’s been shown to help reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

Energy: Electronics and Bed Placement

Electronics are the most energy zapping things one can have in a bedroom. If possible eliminate them entirely. The light and frequency they emit can disturb sleep no matter how subtle or strong they are. Even the “battery charging” indicator on your phone can cause mental disruption. If you aren’t able to remove them from the room then make sure they are at least two feet away from the bed and turn off any that aren’t in use. For example, if you must have a television in the room, don’t fall asleep with it on. Watch your show, turn it off, and call it a night.

Feng Shui dictates that a bed should be placed diagonally across from the door, as well as allow for a clear view of the room and décor. 

Nature:  Lavender. The lavender plant is fragrant and colorful in a soft way. It is also effective for keeping the bedroom air fresh rather than stuffy.

The Office

Color: Purple is a bold color that stimulates creativity and evokes a sense of financial stability. This makes if perfect for a space that is focus creating the best version of talents and making money in the process.

Energy: Shape and Placement

In general stick to distinct lines and angular shapes in a place of work. They’ve been shown to increase productivity and reduce fatigue.

 Feng Shui dictates that a desk should face away from a wall because when it faces the wall they there is a negative effect on concentration levels and inspired thinking.

Nature: Plants that have simplistic designs and require very little care are ideal for an office. A work space is most comfortable if it feels like a “no fuss” area so plants that are delicate and require special attention would be distracting. Try a simple orchid.

Next read Part 3 – The Bathroom, Living Room, and Dining Room

How To Combine Color, Energy, and Nature To Create a Happy Home

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Part 1 – Introduction

Humans are sensitive beings that are easily influenced by their surroundings. Our ability to reason and feel emotion makes us susceptible to an infinite number of influences that affect the way we experience the world. It’s safe to say that our primary drive in life is to be happy, so anything we can do to that end is a highly beneficial activity.

Although it’s estimated that we spend far more time at work than anywhere else, it’s a safe bet to assume that the second most frequented place is the home. While you can’t necessarily control your work environment or that of the rest of the world, you can certainly be the boss of the amount of happiness you get to enjoy at home. To that end we highly recommend spending time and energy on making your home your happy place.

Without a doubt that are myriad ways to accomplish this goal, but we are going to focus on three of the most effective techniques. They are: color, Feng Shui, and plant life. Focusing on these three methods in every room in your house will transform it into a very happy home. We’re going to break it down with room by room suggestions so you have a starting point in each space.

But first, the basic definitions of the influential factors:

Color – Color is proven to have a significant effect on the way we experience a space. Certain colors are well suited to specific rooms, whereas other colors would be ill advised choices in particular spaces.

Feng Shui – An ancient Chinese method for controlling intangible energies. In home design it dictates that the energies of house must be balanced in order to promote good health and fortune for its inhabitants. More specifically it has a psychological effect on our sense of ease and well being in a room.

Nature – It’s been proven that nature has an exceptional influence on the human experience. Perhaps because we are mammals we are inclined to feel most whole and content when aspects of nature surround us. At a minimum plant life has been show to decrease stress and promote good health.

Next read Part 2 – The Bedroom and Office

Family Time – Spend the Day Planting a Flower Garden

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Planting a garden is a great way to spend time with family and enjoy the outdoors. Here is how to start a simple flower garden and have a fun time!

 

First, look in your back yard. Is there a patch of good soil to use? If not, do some research the night before and find ways to create a patch in your yard. This should be easy and won’t take that much time. And when you go to the nursery, make sure to get fertilizer for your soil to keep the plants growing and healthy. Next decide on a color scheme for your garden. If the flowers are color coordinated the garden will be twice as pretty. Deciding the night before provides you with a plan to help you choose the right flowers when you go shopping. A good color scheme should include around 3 colors. You should also choose flowers that look different than each other to add definition and sophistication. A garden of 3 different shades of petunias is a lot less interesting than a garden of yellow sunflowers, orange marigolds, and red roses.

 

Next, try to locate a nursery that is within walking distance of your home. This experience will be most ideal if you can include a family walk. Have the kids take a wagon to bring the flowers home in. If you do not own a wagon, most nurseries have them and you can either rent them or borrow them to take the flowers home. Otherwise just drive there and leave the windows in the car rolled down to enjoy the fresh air. While at the nursery consult with the experts as to which flowers on your list are actually best suited to your particular garden environment. Also ask about the ideal way to plant them and care for them. Take along a little notebook to take notes so you’re sure to remember all of the important facts.

 

Once you’ve brought your flowers home spend quality time with the family and plant them! In general there should be distance between each flower to make sure it has room to grow or bloom. Also remember to pay attention to whether the flower needs shade or sun. Once everything is planted, create a watering schedule to keep your plants healthy and hydrated. Last, don’t fogey to place a few chairs near the garden so you can sit outside and enjoy it.

Easy To Follow Schedule: How To Keep Your Home Clean

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Cleaning the house is a daunting and endless task. It seems like no matter how much you try to stay on top of it, one day not paying attention and the whole thing falls apart. It’s also a challenge to manage a schedule. No one has time to deep clean their home every weekend, and some chores only require your attention a few times each year. Others need regular attention, and some daily. Here is a simple, straight forward guide for emerging triumphant from the game of ‘you versus the house!’

DAILY

  • Wipe down countertops and high traffic surfaces (tables, kitchen, bathroom, microwave)
  • Wipe clean sinks and mirrors
  • Sort things and send them to their home room (toys to the nursery, bills to the desk, etc.)
  • Take out trash

WEEKLY

  • Deep clean bathroom (tub, toilet, floor)
  • Clean and sanitize kitchen (countertops, floors, appliances)
  • Vacuum all of the carpet
  • Do laundry
  • Sweep floors

BIWEEKLY

  • Dust
  • Change bed linens
  • Sweep and mop hard surface floors
  • Open windows, turn on fans, spray house with air sanitizer

MONTHLY

  • Clean baseboards, window sills, door jambs
  • Remove items from cabinets and drawers and clean inside
  • Remove items from refrigerator and clean inside
  • Clean oven
  • Clean rugs
  • Replace fragrance plug ins

SEASONALLY

  • Wash the windows
  • Organize the garage
  • Go through everything and get rid of stuff no longer needed or used
  • Redecorate for the approaching holiday or season
  • Clean throw pillows
  • Wax floors

An easy way to manage this is to purchase a calendar that you can hang in a main area in your home and use it strictly for marking up the cleaning schedule. This way, everyone will see it on a regular basis, and it won’t be cluttered with all of the other information that consumes calendars. Assign tasks each week, and you’ll be amazed at how a simple plan can turn into a space you can be proud of at any time!

Upcycling – How To Use and Repurpose Furniture

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Gone are the days of throwing away anything and everything. Thank goodness! That practice was turning into a colossal earth-wide mess. To combat it we’ve successfully established a solid approach to recycling. However, it isn’t always ideal and it’s somewhat inconvenient with furniture items because there’s often a cost associated with removal. If you want to donate, that’s always helpful. Perhaps, though, you’d actually like to continue to get value from something after you’ve tired of its original purpose. Check out these three great ideas for doing so!

  • Small bedside or end table: This is ideally accomplished with a rectangular piece that has pretty legs. The style should also match the room it will be in because it will become a specialty piece that will attract admiration so you don’t want it to look out of place. If necessary, begin by stripping the item and painting or refinishing it. Note you will be flipping it over so the top of the table will be face down on the floor(thus, the ‘top’ is the least important surface). Then, sew a padded pillow that will fit within the dimensions of the legs. Tables with support slats on each side under the top work best because they provide structure. Place the padded pillow within the legs and set your cat or dog’s favorite treat on it. You now have a one-of-a-kind four-poster pet bed fit for a furry queen or king!
  • Spare drawers:  This is super easy and looks so creative! Shallow drawers will work well for display items that are light and have a thin profile, and deeper drawers work great for larger items. Using a drill and long screws, mount the bottom side of the drawer to the wall. Remove the handle, or orient it at the top, then set things inside for display. An alternative is to stack the drawers on a table as containers. For this to look right, choose three different sizes and place the largest on the bottom. Put it by the front door for keys, gloves, and electronics. Or in the craft room for markers, bottles of glue…you get the idea!
  • Air mattress: This is so simple you won’t believe you didn’t think of it. Yet, it will provide hours of comfort and fun. Blow up the air mattress, set it under a tree or in some shade, cover with lightweight blanker or sheet, and watch as the kiddos spend hours playing, reading or resting on it while enjoying the outdoors!

 

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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