Redecorating and Keeping it Green

<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt"><font size="3" color="#990000">Redecorating and Keeping it Green</font></h2><p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt">(ARA) – The redecorating bug has bitten you hard, and you want to join the ‘green’ society by making your home stylish but healthy and environmentally friendly.</span></p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">You can start from the floor up, and environmentally-friendly decorative flooring is just what you need. Something that allows you to choose from many colors, have simple installation and follow up with easy maintenance. Materials like sustainably harvested hardwoods and ceramic tile aren’t your only eco-friendly choices. A better option might be Marmoleum Click, an all-natural flooring made from linseed oil, wood flour, rosins and limestone.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/12b.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/12b.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">With a visit to <a href="http://www.themarmoleumstore.com/">www.themarmoleumstore.com</a> , you can match colors, look at decorative designs already created or plan out your own. "Previously, linoleum was available only in large sheets and generally required professional installation," says Scott Day of Forbo Flooring, manufacturers of Marmoleum and Marmoleum Click products. "But Marmoleum Click makes installing a simple linoleum floor — or even a complex design — very easy." The product is available in 12-inch by 36-inch panels or 12-inch by 12-inch squares. The panels click together, much like most other floating floors, to create a durable, attractive surface.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Here are some considerations to keep in mind when creating fashionable designs for the floor in a room:</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* Room size and shape.</strong> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">A dark color or busy pattern may not suit a small or long, narrow room, because it may make the room look smaller. Stripes or diagonal patterns, however, can create optical effects that completely transform a room.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* Function.</strong> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">A living room or bedroom often lends itself to darker, warmer colors, whereas a clean, crisp environment may be more appropriate for a kitchen.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>*Furniture.</strong> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">The more furniture there is in a room, the smaller the floor area that is visible, so a simpler pattern is often the best choice. Amazing effects can be achieved by a well chosen pattern.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">After the floor is finished, you can move onto furniture. Some green ideas are to reuse your current pieces that are solid in construction. A new color of paint, slipcovers, reupholstering or adding decorative furnishings can give the room an entirely new look without thowing anything away. If your furniture can’t be saved, look into garage sales for used pieces that have simple, traditional lines which won’t look dated in a short period of time. Also, look for furniture built from natural products and using stains or paints with limited environmental hazard.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/12a.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/12a.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">When it’s time to tackle the walls, look for paints that contain little or no volatile organic compounds. Latex- and water-based paints with a flat finish typically fit into this category. These paints provide little to no chemical leakage from the walls to the air as the paint is applied and dries, keeping the air inside your home cleaner.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">If you have a redecorating project planned, it’s not hard to keep the project green and environmentally friendly.</p>  <p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt">Courtesy of ARAcontent</span></p></span>