8 Home Ideas for Adding Green Spaces

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Working from home has its fair share of perks and pitfalls, especially for those in the city.
You likely have your own office set-up in the comforts of your house or apartment, where you are free to decorate your area and remodel it according to your preferences. However, being in the middle of a concrete jungle might make you long for the outdoors. You may be yearning for the arresting beauty of nature and the tranquility that the lush greenery brings.

In recent decades, the need for plant life in the city has been solved by what experts call a “green space.” This area has efficiently utilized natural resources with eco-friendly construction materials, delivering comfort and calm while maximizing floor areas and ensuring air quality. These green spaces also minimize the expected negative impacts of infrastructure development on nature.

Living in a green building not only helps the environment, but it also helps boost one’s mental health. A report by NASA’s Earth Observatory revealed that citizens from Denmark who grew up in green spaces only had a 55% chance of developing mental health disorders later in life.
 
Green Spaces in the Philippines

Green spaces are certified by the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC). In its advocacy of empowering green spaces and sustainable building operations, and to answer the call for environmental sustainability, the council has created the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) rating system.

The BERDE rating system ensures that real estate properties around the country follow the criteria of the PhilBBC. To understand what kind of green spaces they allow, you can check out some green condominiums for sale and see for yourself the ingenuity of Filipino design when it comes to sustainable living.

The Art of Green Living

While you browse through Pinterest looking for your ideal condominium look, you can beautify your own space with the touch of a green thumb through several different ways. In this article, we give you tips on how to add green space to your home and make your vision come to life.

1.    Place some plants in your balcony.

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If you are lucky enough to have your own terrace or balcony, you could design this area by putting a coffee table and some chairs and sprucing it up with plants. The balcony has enough ventilation and light, which is perfect for plant life.

As you relax in your own space, your plants will thrive under the sunlight as well as your loving care. Light up your balcony and install some creepers to transform your space into a canopy.

2.    Add a hanging garden to your room.

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If there is not enough space in your surroundings because of your furniture, you can place a hanging garden from your ceiling and see the green unravel. Mix and match the plants you can use by planting oregano or rosemary using easy-to-find materials. You can also use old lightbulbs to decorate your room with DIY hanging planters.

3.    Create a mini garden on your windowsills.

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Fill your windowsills with plants to create the perfect mini garden. Cacti, geraniums, and jade plants flourish under the sun, particularly for windows that face south.
If the room does not let in much light, you can also place flowers that grow in the shade, including peace lilies, orchids, and flame violets. Amplify your green space by putting multiple rows of plants in a small area.

4.    Install plants into a wooden rack.

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Another way of maximizing space in your apartment is by strategically placing plants in a wooden shelf or rack. You can use plants such as rosemary, mint, or thyme, which you can also use in the kitchen. It will be a refreshing mix of beauty and functionality that will make your condominium look serene and organic.

5.    Add some flora to your furniture.

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You can never go wrong with inside it. Not only does it look chic, but it also boosts the appeal of your furniture. The resulting design is revitalizing and cool.

6.    Place some terrariums.

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A terrarium is a sealable glass container that contains plants and soil. You can place terrariums in your living room or bathroom and open the glass for maintenance. You can also add it to your hanging garden by putting succulents into a glass that hangs from the ceiling.

7.    Revel in the warmth of an earthy interior design.

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If you opt for minimalism when it comes to plant life, you can choose to redecorate your interior design and add earthy and green colors to your walls and furniture. The combination of white, green, and brown can transform your space into a lively room with a warm and uplifting aura.

For instance, mint green walls can be used to contrast against wooden floors, which you can use in the kitchen and the living room. This wood combination can also work in the bedroom if you use the right materials. The result is a summer cabin in the city.

8.    Create a vertical garden.

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What is the difference between a vertical garden and a hanging garden? A vertical garden, when executed correctly, can look like a verdant mural on your wall. This aesthetic can be done even in homes with small rooms, as it does not take up too much space.

Layer the wall with the same plants to avoid a disorganized look or add various floral accents to create a unique look.

The Importance of Green Spaces

Adding a green space is a must for urban planning, mostly because of its benefits to the community. It encourages restoration and renewal, especially for those who experience over-stimulation because of the hustle and bustle of the city. Additionally, green spaces can decrease air and noise pollution, boost the immune system by giving exposure to good bacteria, and provide spiritual respite.

Transform your life by renovating your surroundings. Be part of crafted communities with sustainable living by creating a green space for yourself. Green is the new luxury.

4 Balcony Garden Ideas

If you have an outdoor space, you might be interested in learning some of the ways you can optimize it to best meet your needs. No matter the size of your balcony, you can turn it into an  oasis that brings you joy. One way to immediately enhance a balcony, is to add plants! A balcony garden can breathe new life into your outdoor space. Check out the tips below to learn how to create the perfect balcony garden for your lifestyle, along with inspirational mood boards from Apartment Guide.

1.    For an apartment
Apartment complexes naturally tend to lack privacy. If you have a balcony, there are several things you can do to make the same more private. You can use plants to construct a living wall that will block the view of nosy neighbors and people passing by. Use a trellis or add tall planters to make your space private and cozy.

2.    For eco-conscious individuals
As we become more aware of our impact on the world around us, many people want to live more sustainably. There are many ways to sustainably create a balcony garden. From upcycling furniture that you already own to planting an edible garden, you can build a space that is eco-friendly. 

 
3.    For small spaces

Even tiny balconies have a lot to offer. Optimize your space by utilizing the railing and surrounding walls to hang plants. If you have another space to add some furniture, consider adding items that are versatile. For example, adding a collapsible table to the railing or a chair that reclines and can be used for both eating and lounging.

4.    For dogs
If you have a dog, you might also want to share your outdoor space with them! It’s important to ensure the space is safe for your furry friend. Make sure that they can’t jump over or squeeze between the railing. You’ll also want to ensure that any plants you add are non-toxic to dogs.

Three Unique Flooring Choices for Your Home

Whether you have pets that love running through your home and scraping their nails against the floor or kids who often have accidents, you can still find a new flooring for your home that will meet the needs of the space. You'll find options that work well in a bathroom, kitchen or another room where water gets on the floor and options that you can use in high-traffic areas like your living room. Some of these ideas are perfect for DIY enthusiasts who love getting their hands dirty, but other projects will require some professional help.

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Wine Corks

Even if you rarely drink and don't keep wine in your home, you can still use wine corks to create a brand new floor in any room. Many websites now sell wine corks that come clean and free of wine and other liquids. You can put those corks down with one of the short ends facing up or arrange the corks on their sides. As you change the way you lay down those corks, you'll change the final pattern seen on the floor.

Pennies

It takes around $4 worth of pennies to cover a square foot of your floor. When you compare this cost to the cost of the tiles that you want to use, you may find that it costs less to use pennies. You can use clean pennies or coins that you clean yourself to get a bright and shiny pink, but you can also use older pennies that have a darker and more tarnished finish. Putting down a penny floor is easier than you might think too because you can work on one small area at a time. You'll put down a clear adhesive, arrange the pennies on top in a design or pattern that you like and then move on to the next area. Covering the whole floor with a coat of clear adhesive is the last step.

Weathered Wood

You can give your home the look of a rustic barn with weathered wood and hand scraped flooring. These boards come in different finishes and styles that make each piece look like it came out of a historic building. You can even opt for planks that look like the planks used on the outside of a wood barn. No matter which flooring option you select, you can create a unique look in your home.

Wall Mount Mailboxes - How It Improves The Curb Appeal

There’s something so genteel about a mailbox. Think about it. When you picture it, it’s in the vestibule of a turn of the century apartment complex. Or perhaps, it’s at the beginning of a long driveway, leading to a stately home. Maybe the mailbox is painted white, perhaps it is a shiny brass… once you start thinking about it, the possibilities are endless.

If you’re looking to really give your residence a makeover, a mailbox has to be part of the plan. You’re wrong if you think that you need a mailbox only if you have mail. Today, the concept of the mailbox has gone far beyond that and now serves as a talking point and reflection of style and sensibility. Which means, no longer are these letterboxes plain and utilitarian. You can choose all sorts of designs, from the classic look to an old-fashioned Victorian piece.

Perhaps you seek to mount the mailbox on a pedestal or to create a slot in the wall for ease of use. If you’re trying to save space, then instead of going in for residential mailboxes with posts, just consider a wall mount mailbox. This one works for any kind of property, commercial or residential, educational institutions and those of the government and is great for those who get their letters right at the door. This option is also great when you’re staying in a huge space with many inhabitants. For instance, if there’s a mailing supervisor who needs to sort out mail and then distribute it, then a recessed wall mount mailbox is ideal, one push and the mail lands inside the home.

The mailbox can go anywhere, any flat surface, doors or walls. You can keep it simple with just a door and no lock, or go in for a locking mailbox for added safety. In fact, if you run a business from home, a locked box makes way more sense. You can access your letters from the top of the postbox and with your key, you ensure that only you have access.

Choose from all sorts of materials- brass, steel or aluminum, depending on the look you’re going for. You may also decide to paint it in any color of your choice for some uniqueness.

If you think the mailbox does only that; collect mail, you couldn’t be more wrong. They can be used for the newspaper as well. If you’re unsure of what kind of letterbox you need, do ask some experts for advice. They will take all factors; frequency of mail, dimensions of property, etc. to help you make an informed decision.

The appeal of the wall mount mailbox lies in its incongruousness. If you stop to consider this, there’s no practical requirement for it to be there, anywhere. We have email and text and phone calls. Yes, people prefer to write letters and send cards, but they can be dropped off at the door step. So what else is the appeal of the mailbox than to make everything beautiful? An idea that’s been around for centuries must have something to make it stick around. That’s the beauty of the mailbox.