Multi-task. I'll bet you heard that term at least once on the news last week, and once at your child’s school conference the week before. Everyone seems to be thinking of new ways to do more than one thing at a time.
What if your furniture could do that, too? Well, there is such a piece of furniture, and it can be found many places – if you know where to look. It’s a futon bunk bed, and it can be a very versatile addition to your household. It’s been around long enough that you’d have to dig to find the first ones, but it’s not outdated like that avocado green dishwasher in your mother’s kitchen.
Most of us have a child’s room (or know a child who has one) that is a total multi-purpose space: a closet, a workbench, a guest room, a game room. A futon bunk bed is the perfect addition to that all-purpose room.
It can function as a sofa to pile on and watch a movie or play video games, a place (besides that unused exercise bike) to pile clothes when they don’t always make it to the closet. It can actually be a comfortable bed, too! Because they are meant to be changeable, they are not usually very heavy, and can be moved easily, which means they take up less space and are more mobile than the average bunk beds or pullout sofa.
A futon bunk bed can turn a spare basement room into a guest bedroom you need, and it can be a lifesaver for a college student who can’t afford both a sofa AND a bed, because of money or space. They are as versatile for the budget as they are as furniture, for you can spend a little or a lot.
Some people enjoy the chameleon aspects of the futon and think about the ways a futon can easily be changed to make for maximum number of uses. A sturdy wood frame and a woven cotton cover makes a great cabin sofabed under a treehouse bunk. A glossy black frame with a white linen cover cand be the centerpiece of an Asian-style college dorm room. Spring for a new cover and some throw pillows, and you’ve redecorated without hiring full-time professional! Inch for inch, the futon bunk bed is the most versatile bed you can own.
July 24, 2008
Look! It’s a Sofa! It’s a Bed! No, It’s a Futon Bunk Bed!
Fabrics – When And When Not To Let Go
It seems to me that everywhere I look, I see fabrics of all colors and textures. Probably, it's because I work in the fabric industry, but still it's true – fabric is everywhere. If you need it, you can find it. An unlimited supply of fabrics in every color, print, or texture you can think of is available nowadays in your local stores and even online. Plus, you also have a choice of either natural or synthetic fibers.
With this abundance of fabric, it comes as no surprise that when we need it for any purpose, we choose to replace fabric rather than reuse it, or throw away usable swatches instead of saving it. Indeed, a lot of excellent fabrics can now be purchased at a fraction of the price you had to pay for them a few years ago, but it doesn't change the fact that we still need to look at imaginative and recyclable uses for our old fabrics before throwing them away into the garbage heap.
Yes, of course I know that we do have fabrics lying around the house that cannot be reused or recycled in any way, but there are still many of them that get thrown away along with the “bad” ones. And there are still those that would last longer if we only knew how to take care of them. Sometimes people get intimidated by projects like cutting with beaded fabrics, working with silk, dyeing, and even basic sewing and repairing. These situations often result in perfectly-usable fabrics being discarded in place of buying new ones.
How will you decide when to save a fabric, and when to throw it away? First of all, consider how much it cost you to buy it, and also think about the fiber content. The answers to these two questions can be valuable in your decision-making. Usually, trying to salvage an inexpensive item will cost more in time or money than what it would cost for you to buy a new one. In that case, the best decision would be to discard it.
If the fabric is made of a strong fiber with inherently good qualities, then you might reconsider, but if not, attempting to modify it will just end up in frustration. It would good also to think about the garment's sentimental value. If it belonged to a loved one, then that might be enough reason for you to try overhauling it. Last but not least, consider the extent of the damage to the fabric, and for how long it has been like that. If you have stains or discolorations on it, you can usually fix it up, as long as the damage is relatively new.
You can also try finding alternative uses. For example, an old wedding dress with sleeves can be remodeled and recut to look like a stylish and sexy sleeveless item. Bodices can be trimmed too, to reduce the amount of material on the remodeled dress. Sometimes dyeing fabrics made of natural fibers can give it new life, although don't expect any stains to disappear completely when you dye a garment. You'd also have to wash the garment or fabric in order to use it again, so keep in mind that shrinkage and loss of color may affect the fabric you're trying to salvage.
Is It A Waste Of Money To Purchase Fake Security Cameras?
While staying safe is the main objective, it can become quite costly to completely surround your house or business with security cameras. But implementing fake security cameras into your system can save you money while giving intruders the same worry. Adding dummy security cameras can be a great way to boost the security around your home.
There are several companies that sell fake security cameras that are built to look like an actual security camera. Many even move and follow intruders just like real cameras would. While it will not send back video like real cameras, they can be equally effective in deterring intruders.
If you do opt to go with dummy security cameras, you may want to consider placing them somewhere where an intruder can see it. When you have real cameras, you would typically hide them so that burglars do not know they are being watched. But that would do you know good with a fake camera. The goal of a fake camera is to scare away any intruders.
What more and more people are beginning to do is integrate fake security cameras with real ones. This allows you to have real footage coming from the main entrances of your home and fake cameras in other areas. It will save you loads of money as oppose to having legitimate cameras surrounding your house.
If you can be warned with your real cameras in the front yard and scare off the intruder on the side of the house with your fake camera, you can remain safe and unharmed. There are some things you may want to consider prior to purchasing a fake camera.
The first thing you want to look at is purchasing the right kind of camera style for the job. You would be amazed at how aware burglars are of security systems. If you have a fake security camera that does not look like it works at night but you are using it at night, it is going to stick out like a sore thumb. Also, try to match your fake cameras with the real ones if you do choose to integrate the two together.
Prior to purchasing any cameras, you will also want to carefully consider the number and placement of your cameras. While you do want your dummy security cameras to be seen, you do not want them to be placed too conspicuously. You want the intruder to notice the camera without realizing that you want them to notice it. Try to place an appropriate number of cameras around the house as well.
If planned correctly, fake security cameras can be of great value to you. Whether you want to just go with fake cameras or integrate them with real ones as well, it all depends on personal preference. Obviously you will get the most out of real security cameras. But dummy security cameras can save you money and effectively startle intruders.
Description: Implementing fake security cameras into your system can save you money while giving intruders the same worry. Adding dummy security cameras can be a great way to boost the security around your home.
How To Stay Safe And Save Money With Driveway Alarms
If you are looking to add some security to your home, purchasing a driveway alarm may be exactly what you need. They are simple, practical, and affordable when compared to some of the high-tech alarm systems. And the best part about them is that they warn you even before the intruder gets to your home.
Many alarm systems are extremely advanced, but they do not do anything until the intruder is at your front door or attempting to break in through the window. A driveway alarm is a remote alarm system that is triggered when someone enters your driveway or garden.
They are battery-operated and use motion detection technology to send a signal to a receiver. The receiver can be placed anywhere you choose, but typically they are placed inside of your home. When someone approaches your driveway or garden, a signal is sent to the receiver prior to them even reaching your door.
The receiver itself is generally not battery-operated and will have to be placed in a nearby outlet. This is one reason why most people place their receivers inside of the home. Once the receiver picks up the signal, the alarm will let off chimes or some kind of audible signal to warn you.
As with everything in this world, there is a variety of driveway alarms to choose from. The more you pay for your alarm, the more features you can expect to get. But many alarms on the market can be purchased for under $100.
The range on driveway alarms is one of the features that will decipher the price. You can expect to have at least a 100 foot range no matter what model you purchase. But the more money you spend, the longer your receiver will be able to pick up the intruder and warn you. Prior to shopping for your alarm, it is a good idea to measure out the distance of where you will be placing the receiver to how far out you want to be warned.
Another feature that will determine the price is how many transmitters and receivers you get. Some of the simpler alarm systems will come with just one transmitter and receiver. You will find several transmitters and receivers with some of the more complex systems. The benefit of having multiple is that you can place them in multiple pathways and all angles of your house.
While driveway alarms are good about allowing smaller animals to pass by without signaling, blowing branches and trees do set off alarms. Because of this, try to plot out an area where you can place your alarms so that they are not constantly falsely alarming you. Aside from that, driveway alarms are reasonably priced and can be great at warning you before it is too late.
Description: If you are looking to add some security to your home, purchasing a driveway alarm may be exactly what you need. They are simple, practical, and affordable when compared to some of the high-tech alarm systems. And the best part about them is that they warn you even before the intruder gets to your home.
How to Make Wireless Security Systems Work For You
Just because you are searching for a low cost wireless security system, doesn't mean that you can still find a quality product. Here are some tips to help you find the best possible wireless security system and get a great deal at the same time.
Home owners are looking into securing their property and belongings more these days. Crime is up! There have been more break-ins and people are getting scared of a break in might happen to them. You may be one of these people.
Here is what is nice about wireless security systems.
They are easy to install because you do not have wires. You do not need to rip your walls apart or your floors to install. When you buy a house you would like to install the best and have it working right away.
The wireless security system is the best for this. If you move a lot you would want this kind of system. When living in an apartment you can hook it up very easy and get it working. But when you move you just take it down with out hurting the walls, or floors.
Wireless security systems work by sending messages through radio signals to a central panel. You have batteries that you change once a month but it is good to stay on a schedule every month so you secure your home at all times.
Your system can have a have a central panel, touch pad, alarm, detectors, and cameras.
A wireless system is the way to go for your safety. Radio wave frequencies are transmitted by windows, door contacts, and motion sensors, You also have touch pads at entrances to enable activation and deactivation of the wireless system whenever needed.
When there is a power failure a backup system comes into action providing continuous security. You will never have to worry about the security system not working so go about your day knowing your possessions are always safe with your wireless security system.
There are a lot of stores that have the wireless security systems you can purchase. Just ask questions and know that if you want an easy installation withou tearing apart the walls or floors and having your personal belongings safe this is for you.
Armed with this information, you can now make dealing with wireless security systems a lot more bearable and perhaps even end your problem of finding the best wireless security system for your home.
Summary: Just because you are searching for a low cost wireless security system, doesn't mean that you can still find a quality product. Here are some tips to help you find the best possible wireless security system and get a great deal at the same time.
July 14, 2008
The Best and Worst On Home Motion Detectors
If you are in desperate need of a home motion detector, but don't want to spend big dollars or hours to get the job done, you need to read this article.
Here is a few pointers to help get you started.
When you are gone from your home on vacation you may ask your neighbors to watch your house and make sure know one gets in. We all do that.
With the home motion detector the light will come on if it hits a heat sensor so your neighbor will know someone is in the area of your house and can check it out easier than looking themselves.
When looking for a motion detector you want the system that works for you and your family and to be able to do it at an affordable cost. These are surprisingly affordable. You can find one for as low as around $20 and as high as $150. Your total cost would depend on the number of detectors you need for your home or business.
Passive infrared sensor is a good system because it detects heat from the body of a person. It will not detect a tree branch falling down. But if your pet is outside it will detect him moving around outside all the time. So if you do not have a pet this system is good for you.
Ultra sonic motion detectors are the least that home owners usually like but they send out ultra sonic pulses that measure the reflection of any object that is moving. With a home owner with a lot of things in the yard this might not be for you.
Microwave motion detectors work exactly as a police radar gun so you know anyone will know if some one is in your yard. The detector has constant microwaves in the air which bounce off the objects that are found in their path. The problem with this is that any object can be detected they can trigger any random moving object. After awhile it may bother your neighbors.
Dual technology motion detector has fewer detections like the ones above so it is more reliable because it has infrared heat sensors which heavily cut down the number of false alarms that are triggered with pets. This one helps for pets up to 40 pounds or more.
All the above are things to consider when purchasing home motion detectors. If you can apply one of these to your personal situation to alleviate the problem of finding the best home motion detector , do so and see an marked improvement in your life.
Summary: If you are in desperate need of a home motion detector, but don't want to spend big dollars or hours to get the job done, you need to read this article. Here is a few pointers to help get you started.
Quick Wireless Intercom Tips To Use Now
Wireless intercom services are everywhere these days. It seems like every week there is a new company fighting to get your business. The wireless intercom sector has become VERY competitive over the past few years.
Here is some tips you may not have known regarding quick wireless intercoms you may enjoy.
- A Wireless intercom is very easy to install. You put the system pad in each room that you want to communicate someone.
- It is so easy to use! You push a number for the room of the person you are trying to talk to. If the person you are trying to reach does not have a number, usually they have one basic pad number you touch and it will reach them.
- One nice thing is it is free communication for the customer, and fast to talk to someone in your home or business.
- The wireless intercom has a 2 year battery life.
- Internal communication is there and you get a very clear sound like you have surround sound in your intercom. This system is designed for a long range.
The wireless intercom is able to move with you if you move your home or business whereas other systems you have to leave at the place you installed it. There are many systems that can not say this.
So when you are shopping for an intercom know that a wireless intercom is the way to go if you want one that is easy to install with clear sounds that you can communicate with who you want to talk to.
When using the wireless intercom it is like using a cellular mobile phone. That is how easy it is for you in your home or business. In your business the intercom does not limit the number of users you can have. Plus you can add new users with ease unlike wired intercoms. With this system you can use it over a larger geographical area.
When you are at work or home and you want to talk to someone right now you push the number on the pad and you talk for free and say what you need get your answer and get back to what you were doing.
There is the convenience every one is always looking for. The wireless intercom is clear as a bell so you understand what is being said.
In the end, the final choice for your wireless intercom will be up to you. Understanding these tips will help for making the best choice on your purchase.
Summary: he wireless intercom sector has become VERY competitive over the past few years. Here is some tips you may not have known regarding quick wireless intercoms you may enjoy.
Ways To Create Additional Storage On A Veranda Or Patio
At first glance you might not think there are many ways to store items on a veranda or patio. After all, itÕs basically a large flat area that is perfect for using to relax on a lounger on those long hot summer days.
But there are ways to incorporate some storage ideas that wonÕt detract from the overall look of your garden Ð and they will certainly come in very handy as well.
Depending on the size of your veranda or patio, you may have room for a small summerhouse. These are far more attractive than a standard shed, but they can just as easily be used for storage. Small garden items such as garden tools and plant pots can be stored away in plastic boxes to protect them from the cold and damp, while larger items such as the lawnmower can be tucked away out of sight Ð perhaps covered by a tarpaulin.
The rule is to keep things below the level of the windows, so that when anyone looks inside they wonÕt be greeted by a haphazard mess of pots, bottles and assorted other paraphernalia. A summerhouse can also be dressed with window boxes to help soften its appearance and help it blend in with the rest of the patio or veranda area.
If you need to store smaller items and you havenÕt got the room for a summerhouse, then cleverly built planters can afford a solution Ð as well as forming an eye-catching addition to your area. If you are handy at building (or know someone who is) try building a stepped planter which has several different areas in which to plant your flowers, each one at a different height. If these are built so they are raised off the floor, you can incorporate a small storage area in the base of each one. These are ideal for storing garden tools and plant pots in.
Garden benches can also hide extra storage space if you build them yourself. A sturdy wooden bench which has a seat that lifts up to reveal a space within can be a real boon in a garden which has little room for a shed or other large place for storing garden items in.
These are just a few ideas for creating clever storage areas when you might think there is no room for any. The key to your success is to consider every space you have, and how it could be used for more than one purpose.
July 8, 2008
How Often Should Bed Linen Be Changed- Tips To Keep Your Bedding Fresh
I get questions from my customers about how to best take care of their bed linens. You may have been wondering about this too. How often should be linen be changed to maintain your linens for years of use. You might also wonder how often to change linen if you have an allergy sufferer in your home.
Let's get into then-
How often bed linens should be changed depends on several different things. Every person sheds skin every day and every night, resulting in bits of dead skin to be on bed linens after a night’s sleep. It would be very nice to have bed linen changed daily for completely freshness, but for most people this is impractical and virtually impossible with a busy daily schedule. Probably the only people who have a housekeeping staff can enjoy the luxury of fresh sheets and pillowcases being replaced daily.
In general, a good homemaker changes bed linens at least once per week. However, if experiencing night sweats or hot flashes, it may be best to change them more frequently. Assuming that the people who sleep in the bed shower before bedtime, that they do not eat or drink in bed and cause spills, or that the bed linen becomes dirty more quickly for any other reason, weekly linen changes are normally sufficient.
Some people prefer to change their bed linen twice weekly to ensure their sheets always feel fresh and snuggly. This can be very useful during the warmer months, especially if you keep your home warmer to save energy. In winter, these same people often prefer to allow the sheets to stay on the bed a few more days since body perspiration is less likely.
Anyone who has allergies should change their bed linen as often as possible. Dust mites and other allergens collect on bed linen and can aggravate the allergies causing runny noses, stuffed sinuses, and other problems that last all day long.
In fact, some people with the most severe allergies are forced to change bed linens each day to prevent suffering after sleeping on day-old bed linens.
So, the answer to the question of how often should bed linens be changed really depends on your lifestyle, your health, and your personal preferences.
However, you should never leave bed linen on the bed longer than one week. It's usually best to own at least 3 sets of bed linens. One for the bed...one in the linen closet and one in the laundry.
Crystal Chandeliers: The Risk Of Buying Online
Crystal chandeliers are perfect lighting fixtures for living rooms, foyers, dining rooms and ballrooms. They not only provide elegant ambient lighting, they also add a truly unique element of style and sophistication to your current home decor.
However, have you noticed how some chandeliers just don't seem to fit in the rooms that they are hung? It could be perhaps that they are too big and would seem to overwhelm a room. Other ornate designs simply would not be able to match the other design elements of the room. In order to help you avoid these flaws, consult with your nearest home decor or lighting expert, and ask for the best options in making the chandelier work well for you.
Size And Dimension Are Important Before Choosing Which Type To Buy
It is vital to first determine what size of chandelier will you need to install in your home. To do this, you need to measure the width, and the other dimensions of your room. Once you determine the ideal size, it's time to start looking for the right lighting fixture that will accentuate the existing decor of the room where you wish to hang it.
The Internet Is a Convenient Venue For Chandelier-Shopping
A perfect way to shop for chandeliers is through the Internet. Currently, there are a lot of online shops that offer a wide array of good-quality, attractive and affordable lighting fixtures. These online shops offer customers unique lighting designs and styles, as well as give customers affordable payment options.
To be sure you go to a credible and professional chandelier dealer, do a lot of research and make comparisons of the online store's prices, payment modes, warranty options and cancellation terms. As there different crystal lighting designs online, customers should ask for pictures and details of the different lighting pieces they offer.
After thorough research, choose the crystal fixture that perfectly suits your preferences. One major aspect about purchasing chandeliers on the Internet is that, these online stores will let you browse on its collection and display of detailed photos, along with the exact descriptions of the different designs sold there.
Tips To Ensure That You By The Right Chandelier Online
In order make sure that you find the best lighting fixture that is appropriate for your home's existing dimensions, you need to first do a lot of research on the different models and styles available, by visiting your neighborhood home decor or lighting shop, and by surfing for home lighting info from online stores and consumer information sites on the Internet. If you wish to buy a chandelier online, you won’t have a lighting consultant present to help you figure out how to measure or install it.
It would sometimes be a lonely and error-prone way to buy such an elegant home décor piece. And at certain online venues, you could find yourself buying a totally substandard product, as it has already happened to many buyers. For best results, buyers are advised to first consult with a professional home décor or lighting specialist for the best lighting options and pricing schemes, before you decide to purchase any decorative lighting fixture online.
How To Clean Braided Rugs
BRAIDED RUG CARE
Braided Rugs are expensive and getting them cleaned professionally could be alot expensive.Below are some tips and care instruction which you can follow to take care of you raided rug.There are different kinds of braided rugs made of different materials example polypropylene or polyeter and wool.One should take proper care while vacuming or using chemicals to clean the rug.
CLEANING
Retain the beauty of these fine products by regular vacuuming using the hard surface attachment. Do not use the beater bar on your rug. Remove spots with any dry cleaning fluid. Periodic professional dry cleaning is recommended. Accessory products may be machine washed, cold water, laid flat to dry.
MAINTENANCE
If threads which hold the braids loosen or break simply sew together with a needle and strong thread. Trim, never pull loose ends. What may appear to be an irregularity in color or construction is actually part of the homespun look. Reverse for twice the wear.FLOOR PADDINGFloor padding is strongly recommended to prevent yarn color dye transfer and provide comfort, safety, and durability.
CHARACTERISTICS
Slight irregularities are inherent to all products. Minimal size, dye lot, and pattern repeat variations are to be expected from handcrafting. If you recently bought a braided rug please note that due to tight packing for shipment, rug may not lay flat; starting from the center, work wrinkles out with hands or pole.
July 2, 2008
Want To Be A Flipper? Start At Home.
Most big time real estate flippers and investment gurus will agree that most people are either time poor or money poor when it comes to investing in real estate. Novice property investors will likely not have the time to commit to a successful investment or flip, or lack the funds or knowledge to make a deal happen. This is one of the occasions when it’s helpful to think inside the box, literally. Think inside your home.
If you lack the time and resources to invest in and flip a home somewhere across town, start from within. Become a weekend carpenter, carpet layer, or cabinet installer and begin fixing up your home for profit. You don’t have to go big, just think big. Walk through your home and make a list of things you’d like to improve, prioritize them by the impact they’ll have on your home’s value (a Realtor or Property Investor can help if you get stuck, most Realtors do this free of charge). Next, set a budget. If some of the projects are currently out of your means – set a goal, save some money each month until you can reach your goal. Do the small items in between and finally when you’re ready – market your home and sell for a profit.
Now obviously there’s more to it than that – there’s a TON of hard work and effort that goes into flipping your residence. Not to mention the stresses of living in a home that is under construction, but if done right a novice come savvy investor can easily flip his or her residence every two years for large profits. Keeping your residence and living in it for at least two years will help you avoid costly capital gains taxes associated with profiting on a Real Estate Transaction – discuss the possibilities with your tax accountant to develop your own personal strategy.
Be sure to make your money on the buy. It’s important to buy right, and buy the property with the most potential. Granite and travertine only go so far on those Reality Shows. The big secret is getting premium pricing when you buy, and then cosmetically enhancing the homes features to maximize the profits when you resell. An experienced Realtor can help you find and evaluate potential investment or flip properties.
There are several other financing options that may make sense when flipping your residence. It’s always okay to leverage your home’s equity to add value. You must be absolutely sure you are making an impact on value, unless you plan on staying in the home and enjoying the new upgrades for some time. There are costs associated with tapping into equity and careful evaluations should be made, but if a $5,000 investment into the kitchen can yield $15,000 to $20,000 in potential return when you sell your home then the decision seems much simpler.
Always remember to start with a plan. Just adding fancy things to your home does not make it more valuable, treat it like a business. Every dollar you spend you want to make at least 2 back, or much more. If your home is already at its maximum potential – good for you, hopefully you didn’t pay too much for it and can stage it and unload it quickly. Remember to buy right on your next property to magnify your profits.
LED Lights Are Lean and Green
Time for Green Lights! The journey of energy independence begins with proper lighting management
It is time we go look beyond just jokes about how many people it takes to change a light bulb. Lighting consumes up to 20% of our home energy and up to 30% our work electricity.
Light-emitting diode (LED) is a 45 year old technology that delivers n heat output and deliver an average of 32 lumens of light, and they burn about 50 times as long as the average incandescent bulb. The Department of Energy estimates that LED lighting could reduce U.S. energy consumption by 29% by 2025, slicing $125 billion off our national energy bill in the process. Recent university research and other advancements have help LEDs to replace incandescent light bulbs in the next five to seven years. Over the last few years there has been advancements increasing the light output per chip. Once you get more light out of the chip, then the cost goes down in terms of how much light it produces.
There are three major types of lights, incandescent, fluorescent and LED. LED is to fluorescent or mercury bulbs as incandescent are to fluorescents in energy savings, duration and cost. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are not a new technology (1970s). LEDs offer benefits such as small size, long lamp life, low heat output, energy savings and durability. They also allow extraordinary design flexibility in color changing, dimming and distribution by combining these small units into desired shapes, colors, sizes and lumen packages. LEDs have advanced from use as indicator lights and in numeric displays to a range of innovative and new applications, including accent lights, task lights, traffic lights, signage, outdoor lighting and down-lighting.
LEDs have many useful applications, are on the threshold to revolutionize many new light sources. The advent of great visible/white light LED has awakened lighting industries to new savings, reducing heating costs and minimized maintenance possibilities with this light source. White light LEDs, currently may produce enough lumen output to make them competitive with many general light sources.
LEDs are solid state semiconductor devices and their LED illumination happens when a semiconductor crystal is stimulated so producing visible light. When an LED unit is electrified, a power supply converts AC voltage into sufficient DC voltage, illuminating the diode semiconductor crystal. The LED is sealed in a clear or diffuse plastic lens that can provide a range of angular distributions of the light.
Efficient LEDs are low-voltage, low-current devices and efficient light sources. Phillips Lighting cites, “In 1993 an array of 200 LEDs was required whereas only 18 LEDs achieve the same performance today, with prediction of further reduction to only 10.” Progress continues. Efficacies as high as 100 LPW have already been achieved in laboratory conditions. According to Steve Johnson, group leader of lighting research for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “It is not unrealistic to expect the efficacy of solid-state sources to achieve 150-200 lumens per watt in the coming decades.”
Several manufacturers currently offer a range of LED fixtures for replacing MR16 lamps, display lighting, cove lighting, underwater lighting, architectural details and other applications. Designers should carefully consider requisite lumen packages, source brightness, viewing angles and color rendering when considering use of this technology.
LEDs are becoming extremely attractive. As the demand for these lights to conserve more of energy so will the need for greater supply to keep us out of the dark.
Buying Bedding And Comforters For The Entire Family
Today the most popular type of bedding is bed-in-a-bag sets. These bedding and comforter sets come in sizes to accommodate twin, full size, queen or king size. The best part about these comforter bed in bag sets is that they are fool proof decorating. These sets are totally coordinated to give your bedroom a look of a professional interior decorator without the price. They also save you money. It's always more expensive to by bedding pieces separately than it is to buy a bedding ensemble.
If you're looking for kids comforters or teen comforters you'll have wide selection. Home Fashions for Kids by Dan River has a selection of your kid's favorite cartoon characters, super heroes and sports. PB teen (Pottery Barn teen) has some lovely bedding sets, but we felt they were somewhat sophisticated and a bit on the expensive side.
If you're looking for luxury comforters, queen comforter sets or king size comforters you'll be able to choose from the fine luxury linens offered from Sferra, Peacock Alley, Yves Delorme and more. These are very high quality and expensive linens that are meant to last for generations. It can cost you upwards of $2000 to totally outfit a bed using these linens.
Most manufacturers of bedding and comforter sets have much less expensive options for you. Wamsutta, Waverly, Croscill, Fieldcrest/Cannon, Dan River, and Thomasville Home have lovely bedding ensembles. Some are 7 pc bedding ensembles that include a comforter, two pillow shams, a bed skirt and three decorative pillows. Some of these bedding and comforter sets include fitted sheet, full sheet and two pillowcases, but not the decorative pillows.
If you are looking for a down alternative comforter due to allergy to down or just to save money you're also going to have a wide selection to choose from. Manufacturers such as MicroMax, Beyond Nature, Kumi Kookoon, and Alpaca Wool Comforters offer comforters with the same loft and warmth of down that are not down. Some still use down but also add syriaca clusters from the milk weed plants to make them hypoallergenic. These are called Hypodown comforters. Some are 100% polyester, some are silk, and, as you can see some use hypoallergenic Alpaca wool.
The amount of money you spend on bedding and comforter sets is totally up to you. You can find king size comforter and bedding sets online for $49.00, you can as was mentioned earlier spend ten times that if you wish. We'd suggest most people would be happy somewhere in the middle. If you are outfitting your child's room with kids comforters don't go overboard. Your child is certain to change his or her mind and want something else, and the comforter will have to put up with your rough and tumble kids. However, if you're outfitting your master bedroom with queen comforter sets or king size comforters or a combination bedding and comforter set go ahead and splurge. Thomasville Home has a wonderful selection of bedding that has coordinating window treatments, shower curtains, towels and fabric available by the yard so that you can have a totally polished and professionally decorated look without the price.
