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Let’s embark into the journey of the best landscaping ideas today. Do you want a spring in the middle of your courtyard? A stairway of purple and pink Hyacinth? Ever wonder how helpful a birdbath can be?
Melindesign is passionate about landscaping and everything about bringing nature into your homes.
7 Reasons Why Motorised Roman Blinds are Perfect for Houses in Sydney
Window treatments should be given a reasonable amount of thought before purchasing because not only are they going to decorate the space, they are also multi-functional. The purpose of window furnishings is to control everything that comes in through the window, like light, air, and sound.
For a city like Sydney, where extreme weather conditions are experienced almost all throughout the year, motorised roman blinds are the ideal window décor, and here is why.
Variety of fabric
Roman blinds are excellent in blocking out harsh sunlight in the room. The common fabrics used for roman blinds are silk and linen, but they are completely customizable, even the linings that protect the outer fabric from fading and provide support for the overall structure and shape.
Usually, the choice of fabric depends on what room the roman blinds are going to be in.
Insulation
During summer, average temperatures range from 18.6 – 25.8°C in Sydney. If your home doesn’t have the appropriate window treatments, you’re going to have to endure the weather extremities.
Roman blinds provide deep insulation, especially ones that come in dense fabric; regulating home temperatures during both winter and summer to keep the interiors nice and cozy.
Light control
One of the reasons roman blinds never go out of style despite the many choices of window blinds and shades out there nowadays is that its entire design is ideal for bedrooms where most people want to keep it snug comfy.
More often than not, days in Sydney are just bright and sunny. Roman blinds, especially in the right fabric, are effective in maintaining the dimness of a room despite the weather outside.
Different styles
Roman blinds come in different styles that will match whatever look you want to achieve. Each style has different kinds of folds and draping pattern and gives a specific stylish appearance and elegant touch to the room.
Available customs for Roman blinds are Classic, Relaxed (European), Hobbled, and Flat. Flat Roman blinds use a single piece of continuous fabric, minus the dowels. Classic and hobbled Roman styles use the dowels for crisp folds and pleats that look effortless and stiff professional finish. On the contrary, Relaxed or European Roman shades use the fabric’s natural flow to add softness and subtle touch.
Customizable prints
Roman blinds are versatile to put in any room as long as the choice of style, fabric, and prints are appropriate to the ambiance. With prints, you can experiment with different patterns and go as bold and as minimal as you want. Your roman blinds can have fun prints to contrast plain or monochrome walls; they can even be striped to accentuate the height of the ceiling or the size of the room.
Better framing
Similar to any other window décor, roman blinds have a string on the side to roll up and down. What makes it stand out is it frames windows better than the other kinds of blinds. Its simple setup makes it roll over a window with a breeze and even adds an elegant and sophisticated finish to any room.
Cheaper than curtains
Many materials and processes create and install curtains, whereas, with roman blinds, manufacturing is relatively quicker and simpler. Creating roman blinds doesn’t come with additional costly materials that tend to increase the total price, unlike with curtains.
11 Tips That Make Any Room Cooler
We all want to stay in a place where the temperature is proper, and commonly we want our house to be a place where we are comforted. But most of the time, heat from the outside keeps on clinging, and we always find ourselves exhausted. That’s why we keep doing things and try many ways to be able to keep our room fresh and a place of comfort.
When the heat waves unexpectedly strike, we are often tempted to go to the nearest fan and crack our air conditioners. Fortunately, there are several ways to get the job done, keep your surroundings fresh and turn your night into a sound sleep. Consider the following from our friends in Blinds Wholesale:
Invest in blackout curtains.
Blackout curtains can naturally insulate the room and can block rays of sunlight. Neutral-coloured curtains with white plastic backing are recommended for it reduces heat up to 33 per cent.
Swap your sheets.
Seasonal switching of bedsheets doesn’t only freshen up your room, but it is also a great way to bring a relaxed vibe in it. Cotton bedsheets are smarter because it breathes easier and stays cooler.
Switch to LED bulbs.
Any source of light can bring on heat to a particular place, yet, LED lights are different. LED lights are not only for energy savings, but it can also help lessen the absorption of heat.
Make use of vertical blinds.
A complete set of vertical blinds can give your home a lot cooler. It can avoid annoying greenhouse effects from sunlight and will make you more comfortable even in the hottest season of the year.
Create a cross breeze area.
Look for an area in your house where the air can freely flow. If you have two windows in a room, and it’s windy outside, try to open it and feel the cold breeze out.
Use your exhaust fans.
Turn on as often as possible the exhaust fan in your kitchen and bathroom, and these appliances can vent to the outdoors that can help remove heat as well.
Take more cold showers.
Cold showers can make you feel beautiful and comfortable in an instant. But make sure not to come in the bath after you went from a place of really high temperature because it can cause you a potential heart attack.
Stay hydrated.
If you stay longer in a hot place, you’ll find yourself dehydrated. That’s why it is essential to drink a lot of water and don’t become wasted because of sweating.
Sit away from the others.
The more crowded your house, the hotter it will be because all bodies are releasing the same heat. Keep your distance to people, so you can’t efficiently radiate heat from them. In that way, you can feel colder.
Invest in the portable air conditioner.
You can make long-term improvements to your home, and part of it is to invest in air conditioners. This is the fastest way to make your room cooler.
Wear loose clothes
When it’s summertime, and you’re battling with hot weather, it’s time for you to make use of your loose shirts and clothes. Avoid coloured garments, for it can absorb heat, but then try pale and white colours. Loose and less are essential matters when summertime.
7 Water-Smart Landscape Ideas
Water conservation, described as applying and operating water sources efficiently to lessen unnecessary water evaporation and usage, has become the central focus of most landscaping companies. Water, among other natural resources, is slowly becoming scarce in quantity which is why landscape architects are formulating strategies and designs that incorporate water conservation in them.
Water-smart landscape ideas present responsible stewardship of the land by sourcing ways to create beautiful, captivating designs without compromising natural resources.
Start early
Planning will allow you the time you need to strategize and create a schedule that, if possible, should in spring. The weather during spring is perfect for planting because plants won’t require much water since it isn’t too hot yet. Planting during warmer days will only take up a lot of water supply for the plants to stay hydrated.
Use turf only when needed
Grass requires high-maintenance. If your landscape design involves grass in most parts, you won’t be able to conserve water, trying to keep that turf nice and vibrant. Artists should also try to include grass only in areas where kids and pets will need it. If you must use turf, choose wisely. However, you can always opt-out of grass and instead use an efficient drought-resistant groundcover that covers a large area and requires zero mowing.
Improve soils
Soil quality is always a priority for landscaping, and it can also promote water conservation when you get it right. Soil testing indicates exactly what types of amendments are necessary. Incorporating soil amendments is a vital step to guarantee healthy turf.
Add mulch and compost
Utilize compost when farming and spread the area with mulch later. Compost and mulch are beneficial during hot seasons when most of the water we provide to plants evaporates during the day. Compost contains the water by the plant’s roots, and mulch limits evaporation. Make sure to give some space nearby the base of each plant and maintain creating mulch mounds throughout plants and trees.
Let it super soak
Instead of relying on sprinklers most of the time, try giving your plants heavy soakings to keep them hydrated. Water from sprinklers only end up evaporating once the day gets fairly warm, but if you must, you can use them during the early mornings.
Capture rainwater
This is definitely one of the best architectural ideas that allow responsible water use in the best way possible. Reusing greywater or capturing rainwater offers a free source for efficient landscape irrigation. These systems can be easily installed and even incorporated into irrigation systems.
There are methods like rain barrels, cisterns, and even using porous paving to capture runoff water, and, with the use of a pump, water can be used for irrigation purposes.
Group plants according to their water needs
Grouping plants will result in an efficient watering schedule. Avoid using high volume water demanding plant elements. Additionally, planners can add watering designations to their ideas for clients to follow.
10 Landscaping Ideas to Follow in 2021
If you are fond of landscaping and gardening, you might be thinking of making it to another level. This 2021, you can turn your landscape by basically making significant improvements – updating your designs, upgrading your plant features, and creating something beautiful out from your scratches. The beauty of landscaping will allow you as a landscaper to be creative as you want.
Raise Bed and Herb Snails- Raise beds was one of the garden trends ever since. Moving forward this 2021, the enthusiasm for this thing does not decrease it is far increasing. With the all comfortable working height makes it easier to care for the plants standing upright.
Develop Sustainable Fertilization– If you’re after a good crop from your garden, you have to supply your plants with power. This 2021, the trend is to push organic fertilization. In this form, the nutrients remain longer in the soil. It also improves the soil structure by promoting humus formation.
Bee-friendly garden- The number of wild bees is sadly decreasing. Fortunately, the trend is increasingly into bee-friendly gardens and landscapes. The absence of sprayed chemicals for pests and weeds can also help control the bees.
Water in all variations– This 2021, everything in the landscape revolves around the water- whether it is a small water feature or pool. Together with your water plants and decorative swamps, your little water feature will soon become the main area in your garden.
Install flowering fences- Fences is a must in a landscape if you are to pursue privacy- this is a trend that will probably conquer much terrain. It can also be the habitat for some colourful plants and climbing plants.
Hanging pots and vertical gardening- Small gardens is worth investing for the vertical garden to grow vegetables and fruits. With this, you can create a space for eye-catcher and vegetable garden despite lacking area.
Smart Garden- This 2021, one of the trend is matching the technology and the garden. For other travellers, some flowerpots will automatically pour water when the soil is dry. With smart, equipped technology, you can sit and relax while making your garden more beautiful.
Dwarf vegetables and Patio Fruits- Even in your small spaces, you can have fruit-bearing trees for consumption. This trend will get your money’s worth- planting dwarf fruits and vegetables, patio tree fruits and more. These mini fruit trees can exceed to only 1.5 meters in height. This will serve as your benefit and decoration at the same time.
Natural gardens– This year, the trend is moving forward to free-growing perennials and shrubs. These plants do not look messy but always mysterious and mystical. It can look brighter with stones and woods- turning it into more like paradise.
Old Varieties– Old varieties may be outgrown with many varieties today, but this year the trend is for these old kinds. Old types are well suited for they are very robust. Also, they are significantly rich with more minerals, vitamins and more intense flavours.
10 Attainable Solutions for a Cooler Room
We all want to stay in a place where we can be comfortable, especially if the site gives us the right temperature to set our mood throughout the day. But most of the time, it is not the way we wanted. The heat from the outside keeps on surrounding, and it gives us a feeling of exhaustion and irritation. With this, we keep on doing things and trying things to achieve a place of comfort and to keep our room always fresh.
So, how you can avoid such feeling and keep yourself from the sweltering summer inside your home? Read on and consider these attainable solutions to achieve a more comfortable room.
Put in some house plants.
Have you wanted a more comfortable room? According to an expert house designer, trees and other greenery inside the house can block the sun and keeps your place in a cooler temperature. And the larger the plant, the larger it can stop. It can also give a fresh aura inside the house to keep you in calm and perfect peace.
Upgrade window treatments.
Your sheer curtains may look nice, but to be honest, they are making your room hotter. Installing heavy curtains or blinds can be a substantive solution to decrease the amount of heat that is clinging into your room via windows.
Install a ceiling fan.
You don’t need to get up major air conditioning bills to maintain your room cooler. Instead, consider installing a ceiling fan. The windy chill that the ceiling fan brings helps you feel comfortable without the need of adjusting the thermostat.
Change your lightbulbs.
Old-school incandescent lightbulbs can give off 90 per cent of their energy as heat; thus, these bulbs are increasing your room temperatures. You try to replace them with CFLs or LED bulbs- these lightbulbs use 80 per cent less energy and can surely last 25 times longer.
Stay hydrated.
Drinking water is essential, especially in the summer season. As much as possible, you keep hydrated for it lowers down the irritation and the feeling of exhaustion. Additionally, by drinking plenty of water helps you in becoming not wasted because of sweating.
Wear loose clothes.
In summertime season, and you’re battling with extreme hot weather, make use of your loose shirts and clothes. As much as possible, eliminate wearing coloured garments for it can easily absorb heat, but instead, wear white and pale colours to keep you fresh. Less and loose are essentials in heat season.
Take more cold showers.
A lot of people can say it is challenging to start a day with cold showers, but cold showers can make you feel comfortable and beautiful in an instant. Though the weather is stingy because of heat, cold showers can make you feel relaxed. But then, make sure not to keep cold showers after going to a place with a high temperature of heat for it can cause you a heart attack.
Make your driveway filled with grass.
A green surrounding can contribute to your place’s temperature. If you’re living in a city or subdivision, trees are minimal. So, in your ways, try to upgrade your garage, adding some touch of plants and green coloured pasture to absorb heat.
Frontyard Landscaping Ideas
You can further boost the curb appeal of your home with a carefully designed front yard landscape. This can provide a versatile and welcoming setting where you could bask in the relaxing and soothing view. Check out the following frontyard landscaping ideas that are a favorite among many homeowners today:
Make Your Driveway Lush with Grass
Your home’s curb appeal will never improve with an expansive blacktop driveway. However, you can achieve a cottage-like and idyllic ambience with grassy medians adorning a red brick surface.
Courtyard of High End Hacienda Style
The added trim and contrasting brown colors can help define your front entry. Flower bed tiles, a stair with some color splashes, and window moldings can add a touch of elegant Spanish flair to the appearance of your home.
Opt for Terraced Landscaping
It might be a bit of challenge to landscape a steep yard. Don’t worry because you can approach this one step at a time by installing terraced levels you can treat as separate beds that are easier to climb and conquer.
Go for Rosy Cottage-Like Landscape
Add more personality to your yard and garden with the proverbial white picket. You can plant floral favorites such as lady’s mantle, sage catmint, and pink roses to showcase a display that will surely make others stop and gaze in awe and admiration.
Extend Your Porch
Extending your porch is one of the keys to make the entrance of your home feel fresher and more inviting, not to mention that it creates a sense of privacy to your home interior. Adding a selection of outdoor furniture and potted plants can surely boost the ambience of your open space.
The Secret is in Multilevel Landscaping
You can make the simplest façade more interesting. A modern porch rail with raised planting beds is a great way to make things more stylish and enticing.
Adorn Your Walkway with Verdant Foliage
Instead of gray or blacktop concrete, a walkway in stone color can make your entryway look neater and more natural. You can further up the beauty with a variety of seasonal colors, textures, and foliage for an interesting garden all year-round.
Freshen Things Up with a Waterfall
A waterfall lined with rocks can create a Zen-like feel thanks to its calming effect and soothing sounds. The bright annuals and perennials that surround the water feature will further help you achieve that mountainous and lush appeal.
Complete the Look with Half Walls
You can try to build stone half walls that can complement the lines and color of your house to add height to level landscape or break up a lengthy blank wall.
Welcome Everyone with an Arbor Entryway
An arbor can transform your garden space to a quaint cozy room. You can pair it with a picket fence to build an enticing portal that will lure your guests to step inside and explore.
Light It Up
Install light fixtures that are in perfect harmony with the style of your home to illuminate your entryway. Make it more pleasing by choosing a lamp color that matches the exterior of your house.
These frontyard landscaping ideas are guaranteed to take your home’s outdoor space to a whole new level.
Backyard Landscaping Must Haves
You are planning your backyard landscaping and you want it to be picture-perfect in every sense of the word. Creating that perfect backyard is one of the fun home improvement projects you can do during the weekend. If you want your outdoor space to look exactly as how you want it to be, make sure that you incorporate these backyard landscaping must haves.
Pathways That Look Inviting
An inviting stone pathway is just the best way to welcome all of your guests to your backyard during those special occasions and gatherings and even during simple home visits. A well-designed path can help in keeping your grass in tiptop shape while directing traffic to the dedicated seating areas. You can create your own custom path in whatever size and shape as you like.
Light It Up with Ambient Lighting
Ambient backyard lighting is the right complement as the sun sets in the horizon and the skies transition from daytime to nighttime. You can use solar or motion-powered lights. Or better yet, why not set the mood with candlelight?
Go for Barefoot Lawn
An ideal backyard landscaping will only be possible with the perfect lawn that looks great and at the same time, looks wonderful to walk on even if you are barefoot. Make sure you grow lush and green grass so you can have a fun time spent on your lawn during those lazy days out.
Add a Pop of Color
Popping vibrant colors are the easiest way to add variation to your green backyard landscape. A planter is one wonderful way of introducing flowering annuals to your backyard. You can move the planter and change it out every summer to make it more exciting and less boring.
Lush Greenery is the Secret
Plants and trees along the perimeter of your backyard can add more texture and depth to your landscape. These can also serve as a barrier between your neighbors to offer a sense of seclusion and privacy.
Make It Private
Add a bit of privacy so you can enjoy your backyard to the fullest with no need to worry about pesky neighbors and onlookers. Having a visual separation between your neighbors and your yard can really make a difference. To feel this sense of privacy, you can add landscaping, an arbor, a trellis or you can also make it more secluded by adding a privacy screen or fence.
Ensure Maximum Relaxation
A tree swing or hammock, whether you hung it between sturdy trees or use a freestanding one with frame, can be the relaxing and charming place where you can bask in the great outdoors. These features are among the best backyard landscaping must haves that will surely complete the whole picture.
Provide Ample Seating
Of course, you will only be able to enjoy your backyard to the fullest if you have a comfortable place where you can sit and take on everything around you. Be sure that there is enough seating area for you, your family, and guests. See to it that your furniture is also properly stored during off-season to guarantee long life.
These are the top backyard landscaping must haves that you need to create your dream outdoor space.
7 Ways to Manage Your Business. Assign One Day to EACH Task!
I’m by myself in my business. I have employees, I head the big jobs, we assemble jewelry to no end. I’m in the trenches with the Jewelry Assembly Chicks because that’s what I like to do the most, create things. Take apart and put together things. Solve the puzzle of this piece goes with that piece. Getting a huge multi thousand piece job and thinking, “No way!”, and then getting it done in record time in perfect quality, perfectly made in the USA, much to the delight of the customer.
How do I run this business part? Barely! I do quickbooks and pull my hair out when there’s much hours, pieces, materials, new lists, payrolls, to enter and marketing, social media output. I don’t want to do it. I go in kicking and screaming. But this! What a great idea from Nicole Giordano, at StartUp Fashion. A time management trick where you assign each day of the week to a task. And stick to it! You don’t get distracted by the “wrong day” intruder. You put it in the bin that pertains to IT’S day of the week. Deal with it on it’s day, not in the middle of payroll day…
This couldn’t be easier and now, maybe I don’t need a business manager I’ve been praying for each day. I just need to devote one day a week to those needy things and tell the customer, “My accountant is in on Tuesdays.” This makes me feel I could be featured in Entrepreneur Magazine: Business Owner Does It ALL!
Is It A Hobby or A Business? How to Know If You Have A Great Business Idea
This is a great article at Business News Daily, 10 Ways to Know If You Have A Great Business Idea. If you have a great idea, you must find out if anyone else has the same idea. Research the heck of it it, until you have exhausted every corner on the world wide web.
This is especially true of jewelry. There is a lot of it out there. Know what’s going on before you invest in the time and money to start a jewelry business. Learn the trade. Learn some skills at a local jewelry school. Youtube lessons. Know your material and where you can get it. Know how to price your wares both wholesale and retail. Know your profit margins. Start small and local. Make sure you are paying yourself for the time and effort. If you are not drawing an income and covering your expenses like driving, research, filling out entry forms, taking photos, materials, TIME!! (know how long it takes you to make each necklace, bracelet or earring from start to finish), then it’s a hobby, NOT a business.
When you start getting orders that you can’t handle because your designs are sought after and sales are going through the roof, then call us, The Jewelry Assembly Chicks. We are here to assemble your jewelry and take you to the next level!
How To Make A Jewelry Sketch
I get a lot of requests for help from jewelry designers. I’m going to lay out a plan of attack to get the best possible results when seeking help in getting your product assembled and delivered. I’d like to lay out some steps to start sketching, which will lead to your tech pack and this will help both the established designer and newbie get their ideas understood and brought to life.
I have an idea….
Great! Now you need to get down on paper. Sketch it out, full size, since most jewelry pieces can fit on one sheet of 8 1/2” by 11” paper, a flat sketch. Draw it out and keep drawing it out until it shapes up to what you want. Just paper and pencil. It’s cheap, you can throw it out and start over. It’s the idea you want to get across, not the execution of the drawing. Keep it loose, let it flow, and watch it develop with each drawing. This is called the concept sketch. This is the time to explore ideas, question, suggest. It’s a good way to keep track of your original idea and how it has evolved. Using your family and friends as your focus group, see what they think of these drawings and ideas. Here’s an example of sketches:
Sketchbook
Jewelry Sketches
Jewelry Sketch Tutorial
Everyone loves it!
Now you need to get the details down. Start taking measurements, detail with notes, add necessary components. How long are the bracelets, necklaces and earrings? Take these drawings to a digital mock up or refine your line drawings with the final details: Measurements, materials used in the piece, the style numbers of the components, stringing materials used, prices, these are all known as the specs.
What’s it made of?
imgFResearch the materials needed to make the pieces and record them by style numbers, size and prices. Where are you going to source them from? Organize all these specifics on the drawings with your measurements. These specifics will go into your tech pack.
Now you can move on to early prototypes where you work out your kinks, fix the problems and do any necessary changes. This part can get expensive, producing each generation of a prototype, but it’s best to work out the problems before you get to the final prototype. It’s very important to not cut costs here. Mistakes made in the multi-thousands of an order is VERY expensive to fix.
I found out about this program from a designer recently. https://craftybase.com/
This along with these programs:
http://www.beading-software.com
http://www.bejeweledsoftware.com
will help out with organizing, keeping track of supplies, materials, inventory, labor, pricing, shipping, sales. Getting started in an organized manner will help you keep on track to create a thoughtful process in creating your jewelry business and thrive.