However, reports analyzing the frequency of accidental injuries inflicted on children that have been related to manually operated window coverings have drawn attention to the fact that however appealing roller blinds might be in design, they might also be a dangerous choice for households with small children since it is a well known fact that constant parent or adult supervision is impossible to ensure. That is why the blinds industry has put serious effort and resources into coming up with viable solutions to this conundrum.

Guidelines as to the most straightforward actions house owners can take to increase the security of each room have been issued by the British Blinds and Shutters Association and they relate to furniture positioning in relation to manually controlled window coverings: set furniture away from window coverings and seek proactive solutions that would make dangerous controls hard to reach by toddlers.

What makes roller blinds a dangerous choice for homes with children is the control chain which forms a loop at the end where children can get caught and end up seriously injured. For chain controlled roller blinds various child safety mechanisms have been devised. That is why when purchasing roller blinds the control chain will be equipped with an easy break chain connector which joins the ends of the chain after it has been shortened to be hard to reach by children and which splits when pressure is applied. Where possible, especially for blinds which are installed close to the wall, the chain can also be stretched and fitted alongside the blind with the aid of a tie down clip.

However, a new generation of roller blinds has also been devised. The new spring operated roller blinds are 100% child safe and recommended for use in nurseries and other rooms where children spend time unsupervised since they have a new and improved design. A more compact structure incorporates the control mechanism inside the headrail of the blind and a simple tugging action on the bottom part of the fabric section activates the spring operated system used to raise or lower the blind. With no external controls, these blinds no longer pose a threat to the physical integrity of
children.

Since window blinds have become a household item present in every room of the house, when making a choice between various solutions customers must bare in mind that design and overall costs are not the only criteria to be taken into account. For residential areas where children spend time unattended child safety is also a major factor. It is always advisable to go for the products which pose as little risk as possible and, when possible, as in the case of roller blinds go for the type that eliminates risks all together as is the case with spring operated roller blinds.

Blinds UK
http://www.blindsuk.net/
customerservice@blindsuk.net

There are a wide variety of stencils available at your local craft store, or you can even make your own from pictures or patterns that you find in fabric, on wall paper, in home furnishings, or in design books.

There are two major types of stencils you can use. Some people prefer to have free form shapes, such as figures, or geometric objects randomly applied along the walls, or set in specific scenes. However it’s more common to use some sort of repeating pattern, with a design worked in such a way that it can be applied over and over again in stripes along the surface.The decision as to the type of stenciling used is one that should be determined by the ambiance you are trying to create.

Making your own stencil is a meticulous but relatively easy task. First you have to find an object, a design, or a pattern that you want to use. Don’t choose something that’s too complicated or you might overwhelm yourself and end up with sloppy results. Also bear in mind that a separate stencil will need to be made for each color in the design, so the fewer hues the easier your task.

Copy the design onto a piece of paper a couple of times until you are happy that it’s perfect. If it’s a repeating design, use a straight edge to place a dotted line along the top edge to use as a reference later. Then lay an acetate sheet over the design, taping it in place so that it doesn’t slide.

If you have a reference line, trace that onto the acetate sheet first. Then proceed to copy all designs that are going to have one consistent color onto the sheet. Later, you can use a dotted outline around objects of a different color to help keep everything lined up. Work carefully, and try to reproduce the image perfectly. When done, remove the first acetate sheet and tape another one down to its surface, in order to trace designs of objects that will be the second color. Be careful to line everything up, starting with the dotted reference line, and then moving on to the major and background objects.

Once you have the designs drawn on acetate its time to cut them out. Lay the first sheet on a cutting board and use a craft knife to carefully slice the various objects from it. Each incision should be precise, with the knife drawing down towards you, and your hands far away from the blade. Repeat this with each sheet until you have the entire pattern cut out. Actually applying the stencil to the wall is just a matter of placing and painting. If it’s a repeat pattern you will want to use a straight edge and some chalk or light pencil marks to create a guiding border which will match up with the broken line on your stencil. Specially made stencil brushes should be used to apply the paint. Dip the brush very gently in the color, and then wipe off and excess paint so that the bristles are just slightly damp.

As far as actual application you have two basic choices. You can either dab the paint on lightly, creating a soft even coat, or you can swirl it on in tiny circles, allowing you to add depth by making certain brush strokes harder than others.

Fill in all of the cutouts for the first color stencil, and then allow the paint to dry completely before doing the second. Be careful that all of the shapes line up before applying color. If the pattern repeats, slide the stencil until it matches up with the rest of the design properly. If you make any mistakes, a small brush can be used to touch up the design.

Of course any big mistakes can just be washed away with a paint roller and a fresh coat of color. In this way you can create elaborate designs right on your wall. Tiny colorful petals can bloom, fish can swim along in schools, or clouds can float lazily. Elaborate patterns, twisting geometric shapes, colorful intricacies, these are all available at your fingertips, if your just willing to use a little stenciling creativity.

This time of year especially, being prepared for holiday gift giving is essential for our sanity not to mention being a huge time saver. Many people are apprehensive when it comes to gift giving because they:

• are not prepared and wait until the last minute to start thinking about gifts

• get frustrated and can’t think of what to get the person

• feel rushed and get frantic over the time it will take to decide on, find, wrap and possibly send the gift

• find that shopping and all its’ related issues is irritating and not enjoyable

The easy solution to overcome these hurdles is to plan ahead to eliminate the dread! Start with this simple 1-2-3 strategy by identifying:

#1: the OCCASIONS for gift giving: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new baby, get well, holidays, thank you and hostess gifts, etc.

#2: the RECIPIENTS: family, friends, co-workers, host and hostess, service providers

#3: INTERESTS and NEEDS: hobbies, sports, foods, flavors, collections, scents, colors, music, etc.

Once you’ve completed these 3 steps, how do you decide on what to choose for thatindividual? Giving the perfect gift is all about matching the recipient with the gift, whichmeans that you need to have a fairly good idea about what he or she needs, values and/orcan put to good use. It should be something that:

• honors or expresses something important to the recipient

• fills a specific need, desire or interest and always says that you have taken the time to pay attention to that specific
  person’s preferences

Make it personal, unless the relationship warrants otherwise (your boss, a member of an organization you belong to, a service provider like your hairdresser, housecleaner, etc.). Keep the gift appropriate for the receiver and not for you! Simplify the process by asking the person what they need or would enjoy receiving….like a magazine subscription, a year of Netflix, a gift card to one of their favorite stores or restaurants.

Have an assortment of gifts on hand in order to always be prepared for giving thoughtful gifts. The goal is to discover what makes the people you’ll be giving gifts to, feel special. You do that by paying close attention. My ‘gift radar’ is up at all times. I watch and I listen for clues and hints relating to:

• What is important to them? What do they talk about or mention having an interest in?

• What are they passionate about or dedicated to…an organization, an activity, a sport of team, gardening, reading, crafts?

• Their favorite foods, restaurants, flavors or brands

• What are their clothing and fashion preferences, color and sizes (never try to guess at sizes!)

• What do they collect?

Keep a ‘preference list’ for special people you give gifts to and keep a ‘cheat sheet’ in your purse or wallet with sizes, scents, colors or things they collect. Be ‘gift minded’ where ever you are—this takes practice but will be well worth your while! I’ve turned gift-scouting into a fun hobby and am delighted when I find that extra special gift well before I need it, eliminating the need for a last minute frenzied shopping trip.

Tip: Keep up to date on preferences and make sure they are still like or are collecting what you thought.

I look for every opportunity to find perfect gifts and have come across some unbelievable finds in very unusual places! For instance:

I frequent gift or specialty stores and find a variety of treasures at art fairs, consignment stores, thrift stores and farmers markets.

When I am on a business trip or on vacation I always peruse the airport and hotel gift shops.

A place people rarely think to look is in hospital gift shops, grocery, hardware and drug stores.

When it comes to storing and keeping track of the gifts I have bought for specific people and occasions, you need to have a system in place. It’s great to shop ahead and have that perfect gift ready and waiting to be given, BUT if you can’t find it, your pre-shopping habit will be of no use!

You’ve got to remember what you have bought AND where you have put it—especially when you may have bought it months ahead of time. So in the spirit of organization here is my easy 3S (Space/Sort/ Specify) gift organizing game-plan:

SPACE: designate a closet, cabinet, shelf or storage bin where all gift items will be kept until needed. Keep every gift potential there and not strewn throughout your house.

SORT: Keep ‘like with like”. Gifts for specific people should be grouped together, as well as keeping generic groups together like gifts for birthdays, hostess gifts, holiday related gifts, animal or themed gifts and so on.

Tips:
• Use a label maker to create shelf labels that identify the grouped items, for instance: ‘Birthdays’, ‘Hostess Gifts’, ‘Christmas’, ‘Anniversary’, ‘Golf
Theme;, ‘Animal Theme’

SPECIFY: Keep items visible and well labeled. Remember you can’t give it if you don’t know it’s there or can’t find it.

If you can’t tell by the box or bag what is inside, either take it out of the bag (keep the receipt with it) or tape a small label on the container identifying the contents or place the item(s) in a clear bag and mark the contents on the outside. For smaller items like ornaments, candles, packaged napkins, jewelry—use a plastic, lidded container and put ‘like’ items inside—use a label maker to make a label with the name of the group ‘candles’ napkins’ ornaments’, etc.

Tips:
• Keep all your gift wrap, tissue, gift boxes, gift cards, ribbon, tape and scissors together on a shelf or in a bin near your gift storage area.
• A fun way to recycle greeting cards is to cut out the image and/or verse from the card cover and use it as an enclosure card for another gift or punch a hole in the upper corner and use it for a gift tag.

Keep things simple. Remember it’s the thought behind the gesture more than the size or cost. Some of my favorite gifts to give:

A card or letter listing memories or special times with an individual (accompanied with a photo if possible).

An experience: tickets to a play, concert or event that you can attend together or planning, cooking and sharing a meal together.

For those at a distance, a video of you and your family and pets, your holiday house decorating, singing a holiday song…be creative!

A donation in the recipient’s name to their favorite cause or charity. Some examples of homemade gifts I’ve given::

1) A variety of spices (great gift for cooks) or homemade spice rubs w/recipes
2) Baked goods with the recipes attached; specialty drink recipes with a basket of ingredients; jams or chutneys
3) A large, decorative basket filled with an assortment of giftwrap, tissue, ribbon, gift cards, tape, scissors(so the recipient will always be prepared)
4) Basket of scented and waxed pine cones (an easy project) for quick and aromatic fire starters

But remember…the best gift of all is YOU, whether it is your presence, your voice, your written words or your homemade treats. During the holiday season especially, it is all about acknowledging, connecting with and celebrating the people in our lives in the most personal way we can that is the most precious thing you can give.

Sandy Dixon, owner of Interior Arrangements, Inc. is a Home Staging and Interior Redesign career trainer and speaker. Sandy can be reached at 303.674.8667 or for more information on her certification classes, products and services, visit her website at www.InteriorArrangements.com

The good news is that there are a variety of ways to either hide, or incorporate these high tech gadgets into the natural decorative setting in your home. This is compounded by the fact that technology is getting smaller, flatter, and more innovative in a variety of ways, which can allow you new and exciting options when trying to integrate these pieces into an environment.

First off, the most traditional solution to electronic decorating blues is to simply hide the pieces behind a door. There are many entertainment centers that are built to allow you to close doors over media devices, and even over a television. Television cabinets are not uncommon, and can usually be purchased in whatever style will best match the rest of the room, allowing you to pick and choose when you bring the high tech gadgetry out of hiding.

However today, flat screen televisions give you a wealth of options for hiding that over sized screen that is clashing with the rest of the room. These thin monitors can be installed in fixtures that let them slide in and out of cabinets, swing out of walls, or shoot down from the ceiling. While those options may be a little expensive, requiring fairly extensive construction to change the nature of the walls, floors, ceiling, or fixture, another less costly option is to set a curtain around the media center. A tapestry can also be used, hiding the gaudy electronics, behind a graceful cloth pattern of your choosing.

Another major problem with these modern accessories are the plethora of cords that can end up strung back and forth across a room, running from media to peripherals and back again.

The traditional way to hide wires has been to trace them along creases in the walls, usually allowing them to flow along the line of the floor, the ceiling, or angles in the walls. This can be accomplished using specialty wiring nails, or if you are skilled and very careful, a staple gun.

In general, cords should also be shortened to the smallest length possible, combined into bundles using ties, and hidden behind existing furnishings such as a tv stand or beneath a coffee table. In general organization will do more for your chaotic clusters than anything else.

Today there are even more ways to hide your wires, with specialty covers being sold at your local hardware store that can completely hide the unsavory snaking twines of electric wire that slip along your walls. These can be elaborate pieces which match just about any finish, or simple strips which merely cover up the cords, depending on how much you are willing to spend and how elaborate you’re willing to get.

While electronics generally don’t match any of the traditional furnishings you find in homes, there are a variety of ways to hide them within the decorative aspects of the space. There are a wealth of pieces that can be used to cover up media pieces, screens, and even cords. Depending on how elaborate you want to get you can even have these devices installed directly into walls, allowing you to hide them dimensionally within the architectural under belly of the space.

Color and pattern are two of the most important elements when controlling how someone views the size of a space. Bold, dramatic tones tend to take up perceptual room. They draw the eye, catching attention so indelibly that they almost have dimension, and even though they don’t actually jut out into your floor space, they do stand out in the minds eye, sticking out in your perception of the bathroom. This is true whether it’s the whole wall glaring in bright crimson, or just a single accent point such as dramatic wall clocks or patches of hue.

Instead you should use soft, non aggressive hues when decorating this space. Whites and off whites, tans and beige earth tones, and even soft pastels will all give the walls a gentle hazy feeling, that will make it look as if they are receding wistfully into the distance.

It’s also important not to be too severe with patterns. Wild and erratic mixes will have the same effect as bold color choices, perceptually filling the space and giving you the illusion of having less room than you actually do. Try to keep patterns reserved in this area, with very simple mixes of light, unassuming tones, that flow smoothly and evenly. This will give the environment a calm, serene feel, as well as allowing you to maximize the visual dimension.

Light can also be used to create the perception of a larger space. The brighter a room, the larger it feels. This is in part because a brighter light will tend to illuminate shadows and crevices, giving you more space that you can actually see. Even if these corners aren’t actually usable, just being able to see them will give you a few extra inches of space that can add up over the length of the space.

The best light for opening up a space comes from the sun, but having a large open window in your bathroom isn’t always an option. A good alternative can be recessed lighting fixtures, which are built into the surface of the wall, and which don’t take up any of the air space in a tiny bathroom. Wall sconces are another way to maximize illumination while minimizing the intrusion on the room.

Finally, simple organization will also go a long way towards maximizing the space you have in a tiny bedroom. Messes take up a lot more room than neat orderly stacks, and some storage bins let you add to the space, sorting things in towers that rise vertically and efficiently into the air.

Using light, color, pattern, and simple organizational techniques, it is entirely possible to create the illusion of extra space in even the tiniest of bathrooms. In this way you can work your decorating magic on the space, stretching every corner, and lengthening every wall, even if it is just a clever trick of the eyes.

There are a lot of people who scoff at the idea of  decorative organization. Self professed “slobs” these people don’t bother themselves with the effort of sorting, or categorizing their possessions. Instead they prefer to stuff everything in a box, shove it in a corner, or leave it in little chaotic mounds of mish-mosh.

While it’s not inherently immoral to be disorganized, it is detrimental to your ability to succeed in the real world. Living amongst chaos will reflect in the way you interact with people on a social and professional level. It’ll be easier to forget important events, to let things slip through the cracks, and to get things mixed up. Chaos will creep into every aspect of your world, leaving your life an unpredictable ruin of confusion and clutter.

On the other hand, imagine the alternative. Straight lines, neat rows, everything at your fingertips quickly and easily. You will look around you, and know what everything is, where everything is. You’ll be able to reach out and grab any notebook, any kitchen appliance, old beverage coasters, lightly used clothing; it will all be available to you, because you actually know where it is. The space itself will feel less crowded, less claustrophobic, with more room to stretch out and actually enjoy your home. Organization is more than just a decorative tenant; it’s a way of life, one which can make everything from complex tasks, to day to day chores, easier and simpler.

Part of the beauty that is inherent in organization is the idea of design. If you take a bunch of sticks and drop them at random on the floor, it will make a mess. But if you carefully place each of those sticks in a place that means something, a place where it will be a part of a greater whole, then that big messy pile, can instead be a work of art. Chaos denotes randomness, whereas organization denotes a plan, a purpose for everything, whether it is functional, or decorative. In this way a clean, strict, sorted home will be inherently more attractive then one plagued by clutter.

These properties mean that an organized home will not only look like its being cared for, but will also have less of the claustrophobic feeling that a disorderly space will. Even if you have the same amount of possessions, organizing them into some sort of pattern will instantly create the feeling of there being more room inside of your home. This is partially an illusion, but it is also an effect of the fact that you are organizing not only the items themselves, but the empty places in between them as well. This allows you to create rows, walk ways, and clearings within the home, places of nothingness where you will be free to live.

Organization is a part of design. It is the act of taking your possessions, and actually choosing where they go rather than just letting random chance determine it. This can lead to cleaner, more open spaces, as well as a sense of logic that will carry through to the rest of your life.