Wicker Wonderland
You know wicker is back in style when designers are using it on purses and tote-bags and it is popping up on fabric and wallpaper in trendy homes. Although wicker has a reputation as a summertime classic synonymous with outdoor living, it is now seen to add class and sass indoors!
What is wicker? It is the name given to items woven from bamboo, or flexible rattan, or more recently, synthetics. Rattan is similar to bamboo in that it is fast growing but its stems are solid versus hollow. Because it accepts paint and stain so well, rattan is the most popular material in wicker pieces. It is lightweight, flexible, and durable. Even the core can be made into wickerwork, once peeled!
Economical as all get-out, a wicker sofa-set from your local thrift shop can be updated with a fresh coat of paint or lacquer. New slipcovers in a gorgeously bold fabric will keep the look crisp. Or for instant gratification, invest in a new piece of wicker furniture! High-end purveyors are repositioning wicker as an elegant asset for todays' market-aware homeowners.
You can accessorize with smaller wicker items such as trays arranged on the wall or try a wicker drink caddy as a floral display - carry it from the patio to your bedroom!
Today wicker is not only seen on cottage porches. It is refined enough for elegant homes too! Simply dust it regularly or even vacuum it with a small brush. It responds well to mild soap and a damp cloth.
We can thank the ancient Egyptians for wickerwork. They found it to be effective and beautiful not only for basketwork but for chairs and chests as well.
Think like an Egyptian!
Staging our Green-Cleaned Home
When staging your home for sale there's no second chance to make a first impression! Cleanliness sells! You can make your own cleaning products, get rid of toxic products, and avoid toxic exposure while preparing your home to attract an enthusiastic buyer.
Fortunately there are now quite a few non-toxic cleaning products available to us in our search for safe solutions for a healthier life. But we must also beware of unsubstantiated green claims. Try making some of your own cleaners. It's simple to do and will probably remind you of what your grandma used.
Here's your basic shopping list:
- white vinegar - great for cutting grease because of its acidity; use for windows and mirrors and on laminate or wood floors
- lemon juice - another edible, grease-cutting acid and it also smells fresh
- baking soda - open a box in your fridge to absorb odors; besides deodorizing, it also can be used to soften water and to scour
- washing soda - like baking soda but it also disinfects
- Borax - cleans, deodorizes, disinfects
- Castile soap - find the one made exclusively from vegetable oils
- orange drink crystals - great for scrubbing toilet bowls, bathtubs and sinks
- soap flakes - their molecules attract dirt on one end but are water soluble on the other end
Your shopping list will save you dozens of dollars and the gentle earth will thank you!
At the same time do your best to avoid cleaning products that contain:
- clichlorine or common household bleach
- EDTA or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- ethylene glycol
- formaldehyde
- nitrilotriacetic acid or NTA
- nonylphenol ethoxylate or NPE
- phosphates
- silica
Be especially vigilant with degreasers, moth balls, oven cleaners, spot removers, cleaning fluids,paint thinners, and paint strippers.
Recipe for Furniture Polish
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
shake up in a squirt bottle and apply with a soft cloth
Recipe for Fabric Softener
1 cup of vinegar in rinse cycle
Bar Cabinets
"Martini...shaken not stirred" 007
Can you imagine a 5 o'clock mini-bar in the entertainment area of your home? If you are often the "host with the most" consider a Cosmopolitan Bar equiped with a sink! Perhaps you have a home-based business but need to meet with clients in a professional but relaxed atmosphere. This addition to your home or office would definitely lend ambiance to your late afternoon, pre-dinner rendez-vous.
Bar cabinets come as elaborate as a white leather showcase bar to as simplistic as a one-piece free-standing screen. You can wrap your room in a bunching cabinet, bar included, for a library appearance - very posh!
Choose a wood bar and enjoy the natural beauty of walnut or mahogany. The materials available and designs conceived are as ample as martini recipes! Sip cocktails while telling tales around your own bar cabinet, be it exotic or rustic, traditional or hip! Enjoy fresh, healthy, virgin blender drinks with your elbows on the bar after your workout!
Cheers!
