I haven't blogged in awhile, so I
thought I'd touch a bit on a few different topics this month... here we go!
Plywood - a New Idea in Flooring
I love the recent trend toward
plywood flooring. They are an inexpensive option and yet can have a beautiful
grain to them. I was recently in Anna Maria Island and there were plywood
floors in the coffee shop that I frequented. Theirs were stained dark green,
but I really liked them. I love the natural plywood ones with coats of
polyurethane - it makes the grain really pop. There are all different types of
plywood and different hardwoods used to make the plywood. Cost, of
course, varies a great deal depending on the type of floor you choose.
Here are a few options I've seen
online - I found other ideas for plywood flooring on Houzz too - check it out here.
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I really like the plywood that has
been cut in 12" strips. Photo: hindsvik.com
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| Love
this high gloss shine! Photo: livemodern.com |
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| These wood grain patterns add interest & detail. Photo: curbly.com |
CFLs, Dangers of Mercury - and Switching to LEDs
I like to do the right thing
environmentally, but I absolutely hate the light given off by CFLs.
Not to mention, I'm sure people throw them in the garbage - which is a no-no
because it adds mercury to the environment. I can only imagine how many CFLs
are sold by IKEA every year that are later thrown in the garbage.
Why all the fuss? Well, I did
some research and this is what if found: CFLs contain about 5 milligrams of a
neurotoxin called mercury. An EPA-funded study found that one
gram of mercury deposited in a 20 acre lake is enough to contaminate the fish
and make them unfit to eat. The reason mercury is so dangerous to
humans, wildlife and the environment is that mercury is toxic in many forms and
can easily transfer from air to soil and to water. The recycling industry estimates that in 2007 about 400 million CFLs were
purchased in the USA but only 2% were recycled. That's 320 million CFLs in the
trash.
So recently, I ordered the
new Switch LED 100 watt bulb to try. It is a first that it comes in a 100 watt.
It is very pricey now and I will definitely only be buying one for now,
but like all new technology, the price will eventually go down. At the current
price it will take me at least 6 months for payback but hey, it's for science
and the environment!
The 75-watt Switch bulb is
dimmable, can be used in a recessed fixture or in an enclosed fixture, in
damp locations and lasts 25,000 hours. It looks most like an Edison
bulb and could even be used without a shade.
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| Which do you prefer? |
Designing a Dream Closet - Storage Solutions for You, too!
I recently helped a client
repurpose a spare bedroom into her dream closet - what a fun project! The
nearly 100-year-old home still boasted the original 10-inch baseboards, which
we freshened with creamy white paint and used new molding to match pieces damaged
over the years.
The walls are painted sunny yellow and a
large window brings in plenty of natural light. We installed shelving to house stacks of sweaters, plenty of
hanger rods for shirts, blouses and jackets, and shoe rack to keep her favorite
kicks within reach.
