{Guest Post} Green Cleaning

(I’m delighted to feature a guest post by Erin of the blog DIY Home & Floor. In our heritage home, cleaning is a constant struggle thanks to the hardwood floors, constant traffic dust and the general perils of living in an old home. If you are looking for tips on how to choose green solutions to clean your space, this post might be worth a read. And here is a good round-up of natural, homemade cleaners.)

Green cleaning involves the usage of vegetable-based products and materials to clean surfaces as opposed to using chemical detergents and solvents. A lot of conventional home cleaning products made from chemicals can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Moreover, using synthetic cleaning products also poses environmental risks.

Green cleaning is essential, reducing the risks of health and environmental hazards. It also promotes a healthier and cleaner environment for you and your family. Here are some green cleaning tips that you can try at home:

Use Less. An important aspect in doing an eco-friendly cleaning would be to lessen the number of products used for cleaning. Despite claims of many manufacturers, it is not always necessary to make use of different cleaning products for every cleaning task in your own home. For instance, eco-friendly cleaning products for the bathroom may also be used for the kitchen, while a cleaning product for wood floors may be used for wood furniture too.

Check Labels. When looking for the right cleaning products, you have to make it a habit to check the labels. While cue words like biodegradable, natural, and bio-based are most often interpreted as eco-friendly, it is best to check on the small print found at the back of the product label as this would reveal more compared to the advertising claims, which are most often placed on front. Choose cleaning products that are safe for kids and pets.

Shop Wisely. If you intend to buy cleaning products, you have to be careful in buying. You have to avoid soaps as well as detergents that contain phosphates and always look for green labels on the products.

Buy Certified Products. It is also necessary to check for certified products. EPA certification would prove that a product is safe for the environment and the people. You may also check out the Scientific Certification System logo or the Green Seal.

Home Mixed Cleaning Products. Home mixed cleaning products make for great green cleaning. If ever you are not fond of using cleaning products with designer labels, home mixed cleaning products will do the trick. In fact, vinegar as well as baking soda can deep clean almost anything. You simply need to mix either baking soda or vinegar with water, and you already have an all-purpose cleaner that you can use at home.

Promote Good Air Quality Indoors. It cannot be denied that air indoors can become more toxic compared to the air outdoors due to the existence of toxic substances and materials. When doing some home cleaning, it is best to keep the windows open often to allow flow of fresh air in and keep the toxic air out.

Clean Indoor Air Naturally. One of the most effective home cleaning tips on cleaning indoor air would be to avoid using commercial air fresheners and to try boiling herbs instead. You can boil cinnamon or cloves or bake fresh chocolate cookies. The aromas that these items create promote clean, fresh, and healthier air. You may even use plant-based cleaners to deep clean the surrounding air and to filter dirty air.

The above-mentioned home cleaning tips are just a few eco-friendly ways to clean your home. Whichever way you choose, you are not only keeping you and your family healthy, but you are also saving our environment.

Green Cleaning Basics

Green cleaning involves the usage of vegetable-based products and materials to clean surfaces as opposed to using chemical detergents and solvents. A lot of conventional home cleaning products made from chemicals can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Moreover, using synthetic cleaning products also poses environmental risks.

Green cleaning is essential, reducing the risks of health and environmental hazards. It also promotes a healthier and cleaner environment for you and your family. Here are some green cleaning tips that you can try at home:

• Use Less. An important aspect in doing an eco-friendly cleaning would be to lessen the number of products used for cleaning. Despite claims of many manufacturers, it is not always necessary to make use of different cleaning products for every cleaning task in your own home. For instance, eco-friendly cleaning products for the bathroom may also be used for the kitchen, while a cleaning product for wood floors may be used for wood furniture too.
• Check Labels. When looking for the right cleaning products, you have to make it a habit to check the labels. While cue words like biodegradable, natural, and bio-based are most often interpreted as eco-friendly, it is best to check on the small print found at the back of the product label as this would reveal more compared to the advertising claims, which are most often placed on front. Choose cleaning products that are safe for kids and pets.
• Shop Wisely. If you intend to buy cleaning products, you have to be careful in buying. You have to avoid soaps as well as detergents that contain phosphates and always look for green labels on the products.
• Buy Certified Products. It is also necessary to check for certified products. EPA certification would prove that a product is safe for the environment and the people. You may also check out the Scientific Certification System logo or the Green Seal.
• Home Mixed Cleaning Products. Home mixed cleaning products make for great green cleaning. If ever you are not fond of using cleaning products with designer labels, home mixed cleaning products will do the trick. In fact, vinegar as well as baking soda can deep clean almost anything. You simply need to mix either baking soda or vinegar with water, and you already have an all-purpose cleaner that you can use at home.
• Promote Good Air Quality Indoors. It cannot be denied that air indoors can become more toxic compared to the air outdoors due to the existence of toxic substances and materials. When doing some home cleaning, it is best to keep the windows open often to allow flow of fresh air in and keep the toxic air out.
• Clean Indoor Air Naturally. One of the most effective home cleaning tips on cleaning indoor air would be to avoid using commercial air fresheners and to try boiling herbs instead. You can boil cinnamon or cloves or bake fresh chocolate cookies. The aromas that these items create promote clean, fresh, and healthier air. You may even use plant-based cleaners to deep clean the surrounding air and to filter dirty air.
  The above-mentioned home cleaning tips are just a few eco-friendly ways to clean your home. Whichever way you choose, you are not only keeping you and your family healthy, but you are also saving our environment.

{This is a guest post by Erin Devine of DIY Home & Floor Blog}

{Guest Post} Make Yourself Happy With Easy and Inexpensive Home Décor Updates

(Tamara from ScheduleFred shares some tips on how simple and inexpensive changes to your home can lift your mood. Thanks, Tamara!)

It's always so much fun to create a new look for your home. Changing your surroundings generates a whole new perspective on life--and on what makes you happy. And despite what you might think, home décor does not have to break the bank. There are many easy and inexpensive ways to change things up and add some pizzazz whenever you feel it is needed.

Think of the following tips as economical home maintenance services for your psyche.

Take a look at your couch. If it seems a little bare, some snuggly throw pillows and a blanket or quilt are the solution. Use complementary or contrasting colours, whatever works for your mood. Or buy two-sided pillows so you can change as often as you like. If you're honest, pillows and blankets on a couch just call for you to sit and get cozy for a few minutes.

Spaces design by Dc Metro Kitchen And Bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Stand in the middle of a room and look at the walls. Now picture one of those walls with a different colour that contrasts with the other walls. If you can't picture it, get some paint samples or pain cards and hang them on the wall. For the price of a quart of paint, you can make the room more interesting and fun.

What's the light like throughout your house? If you could use a little more, try half curtains in sunny colours. Having the curtains on the bottom not only provides privacy but lets the light shine in from above, and the curtain colour will add some brightness as well.

Kitchens have lots of options for easy and inexpensive updates. Add some chair pads with interesting designs, throw some paisley cotton towels on the dish drying rack, or put a beautiful wooden bowl on your table for fruit, dried flowers, or even multi-coloured marbles.

Traditional Kitchen design by Dc Metro Kitchen And Bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Sometimes mismatched is marvellous. In the bedroom, put two different pillowcase designs on your bed. They don't even have to match the sheets. So for the price of two pillow cases you've jazzed up your bedroom. Does your side table have a drawer? A bright new drawer knob will turn it into a whole new piece.

Traditional Bedroom design by Dc Metro Kitchen And Bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Traditional Bedroom design by Dc Metro Kitchen And Bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Traditional Bedroom design by Dc Metro Kitchen And Bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Some new shower curtain hooks and a retro bath rug can revitalize the bathroom without anyone breaking a sweat. A lovely new soap dish and toothbrush holder will also work magic.

What home décor really comes down to is your own creativity and style expressed in ways that make you smile every time you walk into a room. It really doesn't have to cost a fortune--but no one needs to know that except you!

{Guest Post} Refinishing Second-hand Furniture, Nautical Style

I’m delighted to have Tanya, of The Coral Cove on Frangipani Decor today. Tanya is a freelance writer and interior designer, specializing in nautical décor and she’s here with some interesting ideas on how to upcycle old furniture with a nautical theme. Thanks, Tanya!

For an inspiring nautical look, you can upcycle old or well-worn furniture to create a great new style for your home.  Whether repurposing old tables and chairs you have around the house or refinishing pieces you found at a flea market or second-hand shop, you can achieve a stunning new décor that is as sophisticated or as fun as you want it to be.  Here are some nautical refinishing projects that are easy to accomplish and easy on your pocket book, too.

Seascape Coffee Table

Materials:  coffee table with a flat surface, large old sailing print, decoupage paste, clear coat sealer, primer, navy blue paint, common household tools/items like scissors or sandpaper.

A coffee table with a scratched or marred surface is the perfect candidate for a decoupage project.  If your table has good bones, paint can cover a multitude of blemishes and will breathe new life into the piece.  If the scratches are deep, you may choose to fill them or buff them out before priming.  If you have self-priming navy blue paint, you can actually skip the priming step and get right to the colour!  A thorough paint job usually requires three coats, but with good paint you may be able to get away with two coats.  Choose a print that fits the surface of the table or one that fits within a border of the table top.  After the last coat of paint has dried, glue your print to the top with the decoupage paste.  Be sure to smooth away any bubbles--you want the paper to lay completely flat to achieve a professional look.  Finish the top with a clear coat sealer that won't yellow with age. 

The Captain's Dining Table and Chairs

Materials: dining room table, cane back chairs, paint or wood finish, primer, sealer, nautical fabric, staple gun, optional reupholstering items.

Cane back chairs with a simple square cushion seat are easy to refinish--especially for a first-time refinishing project.  If the cane back isn't broken, you're in luck; if the cane has breaks, it's a good idea to remove it and replace it with a cushion back that you can make yourself.  Depending on the quality of the wood, you may choose to enhance its natural beauty with a wood finish, giving it the rich look of a genuine captain's table.  On the other hand, if the tables and chairs require painting, choose a colour in the nautical palette like white, gunmetal blue, or deep navy blue.  Approach the painting just as you would for the coffee table described above.

Refinishing the chairs will provide a distinctive nautical look.  First, remove the seat and paint the chairs in the desired colour.  While the paint dries, remove the fabric on the seats and replace with a nautical colour--navy blue velvet, for instance.  You may have to replace the cushions before replacing the new fabric using a staple gun.  If you choose to replace the cane with a cushion, you must first find boards that will fit within the chair back's frame.  Cover this thin board with a thin layer of cushioning material (available at any well-stocked sewing or craft store) and cover that with your desired fabric--a contrasting pattern with lighthouses, for instance, may prove just the right look to finish off your set.

Salvage Projects

Materials:  Paint, primer, nails, common household tools

For furniture that is beyond help, consider breaking it down into salvageable parts--especially wood.  Wood boards can be refashioned into wonderful and one-of-a-kind furniture with a nautical theme.  A large old table top can be cut down into boards and reassembled to create a ladder bookcase reminiscent of old ships' deck ladders.  Thick boards can be remade into long benches such as those that sailor's would use to take their mess.  You can also remake old headboards to serve as a boat-shaped platform for a child's bed. 

Wrap-Up

You can give old and broken furniture a new life with a little creativity and elbow grease.  A nautical theme is a classic look that can be as sophisticated and luxurious as an admiral's cabin or as rustic as the lower deck where the humblest sailors once slept.  You can easily find inexpensive furniture at thrift stores or yard sales to practice on and browsing through design books will provide you with a treasure trove of ideas to adapt to your nautical theme.

 

Images courtesy The Coral Cove.

{Guest post}: Light it up!

I’m delighted to have Jessica from Arcadian Lighting share a post on lovely ideas for lighting your party and home.Whether it is a formal dinner or a spread under a summer sky, I’m sure you will find ideas to take home from this post. Thanks, Jessica!

 

Hi there! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a wonderful source for affordable light fixtures. Thank you for having me as your guest, Miss Frangipani! There's nothing that sets the mood for a party like beautiful, glamorous lighting. From chandeliers, to a string of twinkling lights, the lighting will definitely have an impact on your party's atmosphere. I hope you enjoy this lovely collection of rooms I've put together for lighting up a party!

The brilliant golden chandeliers in this room are all the more dazzling against an overall yellow and white colour palette. Gold spray painted chairs and gold rimmed crystal glass sparkle beautifully under the majestic light.

A simple table outdoors and a string of criss-crossing lights makes this birthday party incredibly magical. I love the brightly coloured Gerber daisies as centrepieces, too.

This swanky, modern living room is ready for a party at any time, thanks to the sparkling disco-ball-like pendant light. The colourful artwork and rug help set a fun, lively mood, as well.

A stunning cascade of crystals and bits of gold accents give this room an especially glamorous atmosphere. I love the contrast between old and new with the modern furnishings and classical molding on the walls.

The chandelier is a wonderful, unexpected touch for this backyard, but it certainly adds a glamorous, magical atmosphere. The fireplace and mantle decorations are quirky and cozy.

Colourful pendant lights automatically spell 'a good time,' and the lovely pink table setting is especially inviting too.

Candlelight is always so intimate, and setting out a jumble of candles as a centrepiece is a great way to light a party with a cozy, inviting glow. I love that the candles are in simple jars.

This eclectic loft would be an amazing place to host a dinner party. The unique ceiling lights, candelabra and swanky furniture set the mood for a fun night.

How do you like to light up your parties? Let us know in the comments! 

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

{Guest Post} From Painted Porcelain to Lovely Room

Hi, everyone, I’m Susi and I write as a guest blogger for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about: interior design, decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl! I am happy to be invited by the lovely Miss Frangipani to blog about blue and white porcelain inspired rooms. Blue and white porcelain has been popular for centuries and it is amazing to see how this age old decorative art can inspire traditional, cottage and contemporary spaces. Enjoy!

Martha Stewart via

Blue and white porcelain originated in China and was later copied by European and American firms. Its ancient heritage makes it a classic choice for traditional interiors. The blue and white combination, however, can work in every style room.

At Home via

Blue and white tiles set the tone for this crisp blue and white living room. Dark blue walls are offset by white mouldings and plantation shutters. Love the spots of bright green.

Love Design via

Blue and white porcelain pieces mix with more contemporary elements in this living room. Bold stripes and patterns mix with solid colors and clean lines. All great living room design ideas.

House Beautiful via

A floral contemporary wallpaper with a deep navy background reminds me of flow blue china. Lots of white keeps the room from being too dark.

DecorPad via

Blue and white toile has the same decorative feeling as blue and white Delftware. Charming and classic. Gold trimmed blue panels also have a classic feel to them.

Censational Girl via

Blue stenciling on cream walls recall spongeware or splatterware pottery. This room has a more casual feeling to the space set by the folk art inspired walls.

The Lennoxx via

Blue and white porcelain is as much about pattern as it is about color. Love the mix of blue on white and white on blue florals in this crisp, white bedroom design.

Shades of Chic via

A blue and white porcelain inspired wallpaper works in this modern dining room. Modern pendant lights don't compete with the floral pattern on the wall.

This content is provided by Design Shuffle, where you can find and share talented interior designs from from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

How to make your decor more exotic

I am delighted to host this guest post by Arcadian Home Decor.  Founded in 2002, Arcadian Home Decor originally started selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online with its first website Arcadian Lighting, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products. Visit their website and cool blog for more information. Enjoy.

Looking for a way to design your home décor in a way that reflects your ethnicity?  Or perhaps you're after a look that idealizes your favorite getaways?  Either way, if you want to make your house decor more exotic, it's actually pretty easy.  Look towards exotic, tribal, ikat or suzani prints for your textiles, and then add some exotic relics you may have collected.  Take a look at these beautiful images for tips on making your home décor more exotic.

Apartment Therapy via Elle Décor

In this gorgeous living room, designer Anne Backer created a space that reflected her world travels.  You'll see that she mixed and layered prints and colors, which is common in exotically decorated homes.

Elle Décor (via)

In the home of Brazilian designer, Sig Bergamin, home accessories and decor ranging from mid-century modern to Bahia and back, decorate this living room.  A pair of Kenyan masks flank a painting, hung above a sofa draped in suzani fabric and colorful pillows.

Luster Interiors via Nuevo Estilo

For those who desire an exotic interior on the more subdued side, an accent like  a zebra-skin rug is a great place to start.  You can also decorate with art, lighting and furniture from exotic locales in lieu of playing with prints and patterns.  Love that copper wall decor!

AphroChic (flickr) via Elle Décor

This bedroom, too, is subdued, though it is, of course, full of African influences.  You can replicate this look by decorating your bedroom in white, browns and blacks, laying a jute rug and zebra skin rug around your bed. To complete the look, don't forget to hang African masks on the wall, if you can find them.

Archinspire (via)

This Balinese bedroom is so serene.  Who wouldn't feel at peace getting to go to bed here, everyday?  Get this look by decorating with Balinese wood accents, and draping knotted white fabric above your bed for a canopied look. Hopefully now, you're one step closer to achieving a more exotic look in your home décor.  For more ideas, read the design magazines of your favorite destinations and frequent international fairs for handmade, exotic décor or art.  Or, of course, you could hop on a plane to your favorite getaway and handpick some items yourself...if only!

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home accessories at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!