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[/img]]]> Mon, 7 May 2007 07:22:24 Anna http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349188/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349188/#num1
    * Ensure that your gates are closed properly and built in such a way that your pet cannot get out. When they are small take them out in to the garden on a leash. Make sure your children understand the importance of locking gates. If necessary lock the gates.
    * Check fences and hedges everyday for holes and gaps in them. Your pet could escape through these.
    * Clear balconies of clutter so that your pets can run about on them.
    * Move your car only when you are sure that you pet is not under the car or anywhere in the garage. Before locking the garage make sure your pet is not inside it.
    * Before mowing your lawn and trimming hedges, lock your pet indoors as they may be frightened by the noise of the mower or may get in the way while you are trimming.
    * Ensure that pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals are locked and stored away. When you use them make sure that your pets are not around. It is advisable to use products that are safe for your pet.
    * Stick tape on cupboard doors to prevent pets from putting the paws into them.
    * Put up temporary fences around ponds and swimming pools when your pets are young.
    * Inside the house make sure that cables and wires are left lying around, as they can be dangerous for your pets.

Supervise your pets for the first six months till they get used to your house and the outdoors and are able to protect themselves. ]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:13:08 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349116/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349116/#num1
Tips for your bedroom:

    * Get a bed that has drawers so that have storage space as well.
    * Place a large wooden box at the end of the bed for storage.
    * If the floors of your loft are made on concrete use a rug to keep your feet warm.
    * Invest in a table with wheels so that it different purposes as and when the need arises.
    * As your visitors are likely to walk into your bedroom keep it as tidy as you can. Use laundry baskets to store your dirty linen.

Tips for your bathroom:

    * Use a colorful screen or sliding doors to isolate it from the rest of the house.
    * Arrange your furniture in such a way that the bathroom is not visible from your bed.

Tips for your kitchen:

    * Kitchen should be well light
    * Ensure you have a completely functional galley-style kitchen.
    * Use all the space you can find in the kitchen to store stuff by using metal racks and cupboards. Doing this will ensure that the counter top is free for cooking and dinning.
    * Buy good quality utensils and appliances, as they will last you a lifetime.

Tips for your living room:

    * For entertaining your guests place a rug in the living area and place a few brightly colored throw cushions on it. Add a coffee table to make things better.
    * A large table with 6 chairs would be a good buy for formal dinners.
    * Arrange the sofa in such a way in the living room that you get the best view of the city.
    * Buy good blinds that will keep direct sunlight out and prevent it from damaging your furniture.
    * Buy chairs that you can pile one on top of the other as they are easy to store and useful when you have a large gathering.

While decorating the loft you can use raw industrial décor, with contemporary steel and metal furniture, cement flooring and unplastered walls. The other option is to use French décor, with French style furniture, rugs, bright colored cushions thrown in, huge paintings and sculptures. The flooring is wooden or laminated. Use clean soft colors for your walls. Remember to furnish your loft with good quality stuff, as they should be a good investment and last you for sometime]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:11:56 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349051/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178349051/#num1
    * Choose something simple and beautiful like an ornamental picture frame, a small crystal vase or a unique wall clock. These can be used in any house no matter what the décor or theme of the room.
    * If your friend collects a particular thing - like glass vases, napkin rings, different types of lamps then, add to her collection by gifting something that she collects.
    * Gift something special you have made. Home made wine, a painted wall hanging, embroidered bed covers or an interesting flower arrangement.
    * Add to their crystal collection by gifting them a pair of delicate toasting flutes with a bottle of champagne.
    * If they are a newly wed couple find out, if there was something they wanted and did not get as a wedding gift and you could buy it for them.
    * Another good choice is colored glassware or something that can be added to a china collection, like two china dishes.
    * Gift a guest book to remember events and celebrations.
    * Make a special photo album of all the good times you spent together.
    * Gift a green plant in an ornate pot.
    * You can make a gift basket or a collection of things together for example gardening things like garden tools, gloves, seeds, pruners, and gardening magazines or a make a chocolate basket a box of exclusive candy, and a variety of chocolate candy, truffles, cookies, or freshly baked goods made of chocolate. Make sure the basket is something that your host loves and enjoys.
    * Choose one item like a vase, a bowl, a large serving tray, candleholders in simple shapes and colors.

What not to select as housewarming gifts:

    * Do not give plants to people who will not be interested in taking care of it. Gifting plants in extreme weather will cause them to wilt and die easily.
    * Do not gift pets unless you know for sure that they will like it as a gift. Pets need to be taken care of and everybody may not be able to do this.
    * While gifting food make sure you are giving the person what they love. Gift food to people you know very well.
    * While buying a gift keep your friend's tastes and preferences in mind and not yours. What you like she may not like.
    * Do not give a gift that you have received and do not like to someone else. If they do find out it will be very embarrassing for you.
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After selecting the room, consider carefully what things you need for your office. Do not invest too much in expensive equipment. Buy things second hand if you can and only those things that are absolutely necessary. While organizing the equipment in the home office, do it in such a manner that you can get everything without having to move around too much. If you have a revolving chair arrange things in a triangle or a L-shape, so that you can get what you want by turning the chair in different directions. While buying furniture for the office make sure that they are comfortable and will help you maintain a good posture while working.

For optimal productivity the office should be well organized. It should have a proper filing system that is user friendly. Invest in an answering machine to take messages when you are not in the office. Ensure that the files on the computer have a back up.

By following these simple suggestions you will have efficient and effective home office set up.]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:09:47 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348933/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348933/#num1
    * Replace the doorknobs with levers, as these are easy to open even if the person has arthritis.
    * Faucets with levers are easier to use.
    * Use light switches that are illuminated.
    * You can use clap-on, clap-off light system as well.
    * Floors should be made slip-resistant. Use nonskid mats under rugs.
    * Areas where the elderly are likely to trip over, like the threshold should be as low as possible.
    * If there is an elderly person who uses a walker in your house, it is better to use low-pile carpeting, as the walker doesn't get caught in low-piles and hence will prevent the person from falling.
    * If you have stairs in your house, ensure that there is sufficient lighting all long the stairway. Railings should be provided on either side of the stairs, as it makes climbing up and down easier. This way the stairs will be safe.
    * All rooms should be well light as dark rooms can lead to accidental falls. Especially entrances should be very well light.
    * At the entrance of your house ensure that there is a place to keep keys, shopping, mail or anything else that the elderly person maybe carrying. Place a table, a chest of drawers a basket near the door to place these things in.
    * Special care should be taken in the bathroom as most of the accidents occur here. Placing shower grab bars and toilet grab bars will make it easy and safe to use the bathroom.
    * Use faucets with a single control for hot and cold water.
    * Installing a hand-held shower will help someone whose movements are limited.
    * The bathtub can be cushioned to prevent injury if they fall in it.
    * The kitchen can have a lowered work area so that seated users can work without any problem.
]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:08:53 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348902/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348902/#num1
Each individual has their own tastes and they may not match the tastes of the other partner. Designers will tell you that, sometimes the women take over all the decision-making because; they think decorating the house is their specialty. Sometimes the partner whose house it is or who owns most of the furniture makes all the decisions. The best way out is if both the partners can come to a compromise about various aspects of decorating the house. If not, the house should be divided up between the two partners for decorating. Each partner should independently design rooms they have decided to decorate; the other partner should not interfere. Once this is done interior designers have found that in a short span of time partners are asking each other for their opinion. Here are a few tips from experienced designers for newly weds who are decorating their new home:

    * If each partners like different styles then do each room in different styles or if you can afford to heir a designer then he will be able to blend the two styles for you.
    * Make a budget after carefully considering all the things you need and then stick to it.
    * Do your homework on how each room should look. If you can collect pictures of various ideas for each room it would be best.
    * Work together as a unit and find a way of compromising, find some common things about which both of you can agree.
    * You will live in that house for many years to come, so do not go in for trends that change from year to year. Find a style that will be in vogue even after a few years.
    * It is your home and the only one you have, so be choosy about what you use and put in it.
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   1. Safety latches and locks should be used for closets and cabinets in the bathroom, kitchen, garden closet etc. Make sure all poisonous things like detergents, garden chemicals, fertilizers, medicines should be kept locked in these closets. In the kitchen things like knives, forks and other sharp objects should be locked as well.
   2. Safety Gates should be used at the top of the stairs to prevent the child from falling down them. Ensure that the children cannot unlock them and the bars should be close enough that the child cannot stick his head through it.
   3. Prevent your child from going into areas that dangerous by using doorknobs and door locks. Knobs should break easily.
   4. Anti-scald devices should be used on showerheads and faucets to prevent accidental burns.
   5. Smoke detectors should be used in every room of the house to protect against fire injuries.
   6. Window guards, window screens, safety netting should be used on windows and balconies to prevent the child from falling out.
   7. The edges of sharp furniture and fireplaces should be protected with corner and edge bumpers to prevent injury to the child in case he falls down.
   8. To protect the child from electric shocks plug points should be covered with outlet covers and outlet plates. They should be such that the child cannot displace or remove easily.
   9. Carbon monoxide detector should be placed in bedrooms so that any change in the amount of CO can be detected to prevent CO poisoning.
  10. Window blind cords should be kept short to prevent the child from strangling himself.
  11. Doorstops and holder should be used to prevent the child from injuring his fingers and hands.
  12. Buy a cordless phone so that you can keep an eye on your children even when you are on the phone.
  13. Plastic bags should be kept out of reach of children as they may put it over their head causing suffocation.
  14. Do not plant poisonous plants in your garden that can be dangerous to your child.
  15. If you have a pool ensure the door to the pool is always kept locked and ensure that the children do not go to the pool unsupervised.

Buy safety products that are safe for your child. Make sure that they do not have any small parts that the child can swallow easily. Once you buy the devices install them correctly and use them properly. Devices should be such that protect the children and allow the adults to operate easily in case of an emergency. Safety products should be checked at regular intervals to ensure that they are working properly.]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:07:17 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348773/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348773/#num1
Change the colors of the Walls
This is a basic decorating tip. Change the color of the paint on your walls and your loft will get a whole new look. But this is very time consuming. Depending on how much you want to spend either ask friends to help or hire a professional. If you are engaging a professional you can ask him to change the texture of the walls. While doing it yourself you can use paint with different textures like linen, sandstone, denim etc. that will give the wall a textured look. Light colors make a room look larger and vice versa. Try not to use the usual white or off-white colors, use the more trendy shades of soft earth tones.

Lighting Changes
Proper lighting can enhance the beauty of the room. Using the right kind of lights will highlight the décor of your room. If you live in a rented apartment it will be extremely expensive to change the entire lighting. Instead you can buy some elegant floor lamps, table lamps, trendy shades for ceiling lights etc. Lamps come in various shapes, sizes, colors and prices, choose your style depending on the rest of the décor of the room. You can use lamps that can be placed on the floor or suspended from the ceiling or minimalist lamps to increase the appeal of your loft.

Furniture Changes
Even rearranging your furniture can a give your loft a different look. Once you do this you may realize that your loft has a lot more space than your thought it did. If you can afford to buy furniture then you can add pieces that could become the central point of the room. Adding anything from a rug to a wine rack can add character to your room. Here are a few additions you can make:

    * Add a coffee table. Place a few coffee table books on it.
    * An end table can be placed at the end of the room can be used to display artwork, photographs etc. or can to used as a bar table or a buffet table.
    * Use a bright rug and throw some bright cushions on it and that could change the appearance of the room.
    * Hang some artwork on the walls, if you can choose works that people know about and can talk about it will be a good thing.
    * Place an aquarium with rare fish in your room.
    * Use vases with fresh bamboo, colored stones, lemon or pears.
    * Buy a wine rack.
    * Use trendy bar stools instead of chairs in your room.

If you have the money you can change hardware and various fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms. Here are a few changes you can make:

    * Change handles of doors, cabinets and closets. Use stainless steel or bronze handles; they will give a classy look compared to the simple round ones.
    * Use metal racks in the bathroom to keep your towels.
    * Use decorative tiles for the kitchen floor and wall, though it is an expensive proposition it will be a fashion statement.
    * Change to wooden blinds from aluminum ones and it will add a new glow to your room.

Make small changes in your living space and it will make it look better and you will not get bored with the way your apartment looks. Decide a budget and stick to it. No matter how small the change it will make a difference.]]> Sat, 5 May 2007 03:06:13 Athul4u http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348709/ http://kerala-malayalam.com/cgi-bin/4rum/Blah.pl?m-1178348709/#num1
For traditional houses:

    * For a Foursquare house do not use the usual colors of white for the walls with green for the trim. You can get ideas from various history books. You will find that the top and bottom of these houses were painted in different colors. Choose colors that were historically used for these houses.
    * Queen Anne Victorian style houses. For this house you can use as many as 10 colors to paint the exterior. You can choose to use fewer colors but try to contrast the colors. You can use subtle or stark contrast.
    * For tropical cottage do not use bright colors for the shutters. Use your most dramatic color for the door and complicated window mullions. If the mullions are ordinary blend them into the color of the house.
    * For an English Tudor house, the color of the roof of the house, determines the rest of the color scheme for the exterior. So you may not be able to experiment with colors. Use colors that compliment the surrounding of the house use natural colors on the exteriors.

For houses that have a Classic style:

    * For a Ranch the color of the exterior walls will depend on the color of the brick used in the Ranch. If the brick is tan, white or copper try to blend the colors that you use for the exterior wall with the color of the brick. If the brick is red use a contrasting color for the walls, as it is impossible to get the exact red color. Blend the color of the trim with the color of the wall. Using one color for the house will give an illusion of height. Use any dramatic color for the door.
    * For a farmhouse people prefer a color like yellow that emphasizes the farmhouse mood. For the window trim and roof trim use an earth color that will off set the bright yellow color. Use a different color for the porch ornamentation. Use teal for the front door and windows for effect.
    * For a Craftsman Bungalow the classic combination of green and brown is the best to use. The roof of the bungalow is normally heavy and attractive; therefore a brown trim will emphasize the roof. If the trim is in poor condition then blend it with the color of the house. If it is in good condition highlight it by using some light shade.
    * If your house is Split-Level you can bring the different levels together by using dark colors. Use a combination of warm and cool colors. Blend the garage door with the exteriors. Use bright color for the entrance door.

For houses with an Exotic style:

    * For a Spanish Colonial house use dark color to highlight the tiles. Hence for the exterior walls use a light color. Highlight the fence, path, steps etc., as they are part of the landscape.
    * For a Colonial Georgian house use three or four dark colors for the exteriors. Do some research to find out what colors were used historically and then choose your colors.
    * For an Eclectic Suburban house use a few neutral colors to bring together the uneven design. Try dark neutral shades for the walls and light shades for the trim. Blend the garage into the main structure and use the brightest color for the door in front. Using neutral shades is a sign of sophistication as well.
    * Art Deco style of house is normally set in warmer climates where it is easy to use bright colors. Paint the exterior walls in neutral colors so that you can use darker shades to highlight other details like trims, railings etc.
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