Shabby Chic Style: What Is It?

If you are a simpleton and don’t want a flashy décor for your room, you can opt for the shabby chic style. The shabby chic style is the ideal choice for people who are looking to decorate their room on a budget.

With cash a little tight in the current economic climate, spending too much money on interior decoration is hardly a sensible idea. The shabby chic look is designed at providing comfort and practicality than exuberance and zing.

Just because you don’t have a big budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise on look or elegance. The shabby chic look is affordable to achieve and it is elegant as well. The furniture and fittings used in a shabby chic look are not new or modern, but are geared towards simplicity. There are several elements that make up a shabby chic look. If you want to try a shabby chic look, here are a few ideas to help you get on the right track.

Slip Covers

Slip covers are a staple of the shabby chic look. Slip covers lend your furniture a new look. You don’t have to replace your furniture to accentuate the look of your décor. You only have to get slip covers which are inexpensive and the look is completed. Not only are they friendly on your pocket but they also look nice and appealing.

Fabric

The slip covers are further enhanced by using printed fabrics that have striking patterns. The fabric is used to cover pillows, cushions, beds or any other furniture which might require to be covered. There is no limitation to the type of print that can be use on the fabric but the floral look is highly preferable. In conjunction with the slip covers, the right fabrics complete a refined shabby chic look.

 

image:en.wikipedia.org

Furniture

Painted furniture also defines a shabby chic look. For painting, the furniture does not have to be expensive or top of the line. You can buy used and second hand furniture which is inexpensive and then paint it. Painting the furniture will add to its look which might be a little worn with years of use. Typically, furniture does not match with the color of the décor. To achieve the perfect shabby chic look, paint your furniture to match the covers and the fabrics.

Flowers

A floral arrangement is a key part of a shabby chic look. You can buy bouquets or make your own from your garden. Don’t go for a strict pattern while arranging the flowers. Keep the arrangement loose and informal to go with the overall ambience of the room. Flowers are an element that can be used in every part of your home including the bathrooms.

Lights

Raid the flea markets for lamps and other light fixtures. Don’t spend too much money but buy as many pieces of unique lighting to your room as possible. The lighting often contradicts the other elements but that is what they are intended to do. With the unique lighting, your shabby chic look is completed.

Chris is a regular writer at Christophe Living. His years of experiences about interior decorating has helped a lot of people at designing their own home.  

Lighting Made Easy and Environment Friendly with Solar Power

Do have any clue on how solar power helps in lighting? Don’t worry, in this article you will learn how solar energy is utilized to produce light. In other words, solar panel converts light energy to electrical energy.

Solar generators have long life batteries that stores energy and deliver it whenever required. Photovoltaic solar panel smoothens the process by converting solar energy to electrical energy using semiconducting materials. That is, solar cells in the panel will undergo photoelectric effect and an electrochemical process occurs where in crystallized atoms are ionized, thereby generating electricity.

The panel is attached to specially designed high flux LED lights, which is capable of producing bright white light.

Most of the solar lights are wireless. The main reasons why wireless solar lights are preferred over wired lights are listed below:

·         It is very reliable than wired lights.

·         It is cheaper as the price of utility wiring and transformers is high.

·         It saves a lot of power.

·         It causes no pollution.

·         Relocating or replacing is comparatively easier.

Solar lighting is mainly preferred for occasions such as fairs, mining sites, Olympics and more due to its powerful qualities over conventional wired lighting.

Solar lights cause no harm to environment. It is pollution free as it doesn’t use fossil fuel. It also helps us to reduce our dependence on oil. Moreover, it doesn’t require any electrical wiring and because of which trenching in the middle of parking lots and other finished spaces can be avoided.

Many people have used solar lighting for applications like mailboxes for homeowner associations and others with motion sensors. People, who want to light up areas like park or roads where wiring is difficult, also prefer solar lighting.

Storage capacity of solar panels and solar lighting poles is something that you should be very careful of. As during cloudy day or when there is no ample sunshine, the system should be able to function with the stored energy.

The solar parking lot lights price vary from seller to seller. However, most of the time, it is comparatively cheaper than the normal parking lights.  It is available online too. However, buying from a trusted seller, who has the expertise and experience in the field, is much better than buying from any random seller. 

Most of the panels come with high quality solar array and mounting brackets mainly designed for the charging requirements. Solar lighting poles come in varying sizes and are installed according to the available space and demand.

Before you are planning to set up a solar powered lighting, make sure you know its pros and cons. Also, you should ensure it is cost effective and is of high quality. With increase in number of population and rapid growth of technology, power has become very essential for the betterment of the society. Thus, saving it by any means is vital. Hence, a project like solar powered light poles for parking lots and roads is a boon to mankind.

Recycle and Reuse of Small and Large Rare Earth Magnets

The electronic devices people use daily include headphones, hard drives, mobile devices, electric motors, and countless other items. In addition, you may have possibly upgraded or replaced the devices infinite times. You will find that rare earth magnets are main component in majority of electronic devices.

Small powerful magnets are produced from rare metals found on the surface of the earth. Small magnets from electronic devices can be reused or recycled. Large monster magnets used in industries and laboratory for science experiments are scary. Their reuse can be dangerous and handling them could be hazardous. It is necessary to follow safety guidelines, when you use large ones at home.

Used as garage organizer

Huge disc magnets are best for storing heavy items like shovel, axe, hammer, wrenches, and more large tools. Disc magnets get attracted to metal walls of the garage, or to work bench sides. This helps to keep track of the tools easily. Large disc magnets are very powerful, so removing them from the wall may need assistance.

Attract things

Neodymium block magnets can be used to deliver magnetic properties to a wrench or a screwdriver for picking small metal things like screws or nails. If the block magnet is run for long enough along the metal, it will get magnetized and be capable to pick other objects.

Treasure hunting

Large magnets are best to find treasure underwater or under the ground. It is the best pickup tool to find lost or misplaced things. When on a boat, a huge ring magnet can be tied to a rope and dragged along the sea water bottom to magnetize metal objects.

Magnet placed in plastic bucket and walked around the place help you to find things because you will feel the pull towards the metal things. For questing regarding the safety of large magnets visit www.usneodymiummagnets.com

 

image:usneodymiummagnets.com

Recycling of rare magnets - Past and present

Rare earth metals are limited in supply, so cannot be found in mass. As they are in very much demand many companies have developed efficient ways to recycle permanent magnets from used products or devices.

In the past, recycling rare magnets was not possible. In addition, it was not environmentally safe. Wide varieties of small or minute elements are used in electronics making it difficult for separating. Actually, mining rare earth metals even if the rock supply is less seems to be easy and less expensive than recycling the used materials. Best solution was to let electronic accumulate in the landfills.

Today, researchers from University of Pennysylvania have developed an effective way of recycling permanent magnets from electronics. The team added ligand a metal bonding molecule to a powdery mixture of dysprosium and neodymium. 

Ligand bonded easily to dysprosium and allowed neodymium molecules to connect with one another. Thus the two elements got separated instantly. This process is extremely cost-effective and instantaneous. The separation method is still being perfected, but is a vast step in the correct direction.

According to 2013 environment report about 49 million e-wastes are produced, every year. This process is the right solution for recycling permanent magnets. 

What You Are Missing by Not Using Ergonomic Office Furniture

An office that has no ergonomic equipment and furniture is likely to have stressed, unproductive, and unhealthy workers. The benefits of office ergonomics have been well-documented in the past several years, and this is why it is no wonder why bigger corporations and even smaller businesses are investing on ergonomic furniture to ensure business growth. While the benefits of office ergonomics are unquestionable, some companies still remain skeptical, believing in false information that hinders them from making their employees more comfortable, healthier, and more productive. Business owners should realize the full potentials of office ergonomics in order for their businesses to cope with the demands of their respective industries.

 

Image:idealofficefurniture.com.au

Research after research, one thing is certain – ergonomics is important to any business. In case you are wondering how ergonomics can help your business in one way or another, here are the top known benefits of ergonomically designed office furniture and equipment that you any business owner should take note of:

Keeps employees healthy and comfortable – Office employees who use non-ergonomic office furniture and equipment are likely to develop certain health issues including but not limited to muscle swelling, numbness and pain, muscle sprains and strains, herniated disc, traumatic and non-traumatic hernia, and carpal and tarsal tunnel syndrome. This is why it is important for business owners to provide their employees with office chairs, tables, desks, and workstations that are ergonomically designed.

Promotes productivity among workers – When employees are healthy they become more productive at work. Absenteeism resulting from health issues is expected to on a low, which can definitely help their respective companies reach business goals and growth. In addition to health reasons, office ergonomics can also motivate employees. When workers feel that their superiors are giving importance on their health and comfort, they are likely to feel motivated, which could result in improved productivity.

Helps businesses achieve business goals – One of the reasons why many giant companies are reaping successes in their respective industries is because they have productive workforce. A company that is struggling to achieve its business goals should review its relationship with its workers. If the workers are happy with their work, they become more productive, which could help their company achieve its goals. And one way of making employees happy is to provide them maximum comfort in the workplace – this is when office ergonomics plays its role.

If your business is planning to invest on more ergonomically designed furniture, there are several tips you should keep in mind.

1. Ask employees for suggestions – Before buying any furniture, it would be best to ask your employees about what they want in the furniture and equipment they will be using. This is important because it will give you a better idea on what type of furniture to buy.

2. Do have a realistic budget plan – Some ergonomic furniture items may be expensive, which is why it is important to have a budget plan. Your budget will serve as your guide when you finally shop for furniture pieces you need, such as office chairs, desk, and workstation. Hence, it is important that you have a realistic budget plan.

3. Buy from legitimate furniture sellers – You would want to negotiate only with reliable and experienced furniture sellers as they are likely to have better collection of ergonomic office furniture and have better experience in dealing with clients. If you want to have an easier time shopping for furniture, you should find a good retailer or supplier to help you with your furniture purchasing needs.

It is never easy to run and manage a business, much more if you have unhealthy and unproductive workforce. If you want your business to cope with the challenges of the industry, then it is always a good idea to invest on quality ergonomic furniture.