Monochromatic Colors: 2015 Color of the Year

 

Guilford Green (HC-116), 2015 Color of the Year

It's that time of year again! Our friends at Benjamin Moore have released the 2015 color trend guide, and have announced their chosen color of the year.

After a quick flip through the guide, it's no question that monochromatic color schemes are "in," this year. They suggest trying warm, cool, dark and light layers of the same hue to create a concept that gracefully flows from room to room. So of their 3,500 colors, which did they pick?

Benjamin Moore announced that Guilford Green (HC-116) is the color that ties it all together, this year. We couldn't agree more!

"We chose Guilford Green as our 2015 Colour of the Year because it can be the hero or the highlight in any room, enhancing the architectural identity of a space," says Ellen O'Neill, Creative Director at Benjamin Moore. "Guilford Green is the perfect thread to connect nature, spaces and interiors with colour schemes that signify fresh energy and growth."

The 2015 color trend guide also contains a curated palette of 23 colors of green, blue, blush, and berry colors to transform any space into your new favorite space. So grab your paint brushes and rollers, let's get to it!

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com

Avoiding Holiday Decorating Disasters

Holiday lights and displays are inherent to the holiday season, and bring holiday cheer to all who pass. But a lot of homeowners aren’t fully aware of the risks that holiday lights and decorations pose, resulting in many never performing safety checks on lights and ornaments. In fact, for the fifth consecutive year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) anticipates an excess of 12,000 emergency room visits for falls, cuts, shocks and burns related to holiday decorating.

Some of the more common injuries (such as electrical shocks or burns) result from an excess of lights strung end-to-end, low-wattage ornaments burning high-wattage bulbs, or overloaded extension cords. This safety list can help you and your friends/family avoid a holiday decorating disaster this year:

Ladders

Heed the warning labels on ladders. Following the manufacturers instructions on use will greatly lower your chance of accidental falls, or entanglement in high-current electrical wires.

Trees and Decorations

Buying a live tree? Be sure it’s fresh! We realize that not everyone has time to go cut down a tree themselves, so we want to make sure that you check that your tree is fresh. If it’s green, it’s needles are hard to pull from the branches, and the needles do not break when bent between your fingers, you likely have a fresh tree. Dry needles are more flammable than well hydrated ones!

Place trees away from heat sources. Fireplaces, vents, and radiators not only cause a fire risk when in close proximity to trees (live and artificial), but they can impede the heat distribution to the room or house. Keep in mind that warmer rooms will cause the tree to absorb water faster, so check the water levels in live tree bases daily!

Using an artificial tree? Look for the “Fire Resistant” label! While this doesn’t guarantee that the tree won’t catch fire, it indicates that it’s more resistant to combustion.

Have small children? Avoid small, sharp, heavy, or breakable decorations. Keep decorations that have small or removable parts out of reach, and avoid decorations that resemble food or candy that may entice children into putting it into their mouths.

Candles

Keep burning candles in sight. Extinguish candles when you leave the room or house. Do a double check before going to bed to ensure that you didn’t accidentally overlook one.

Burn candles only on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Make sure that they’re out of reach of pets and children, and on surfaces that won’t cause the candle to fall if bumped. Make sure that there are no adjacent drapes, decorations, or furniture that could easily catch on fire.

Lights

Use lights that have been tested. Use only lights that have been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). On lights for sale in stores, UL’s red holographic label indicates that it meets the strict safety requirements for indoor/outdoor use. UL’s green holographic label indicates that the product is approved for indoor use only.

Check each set of lights. Look at both new and old lights for broken bulbs, cracked sockets, loose connections, or frayed/bare/broken wires. Throw out damaged light strings, and don’t use electric lights on metallic trees.

Check outdoor lights for labels. Be sure that the lights you plan to use outdoors have labels citing approval for outdoor use. When in doubt, or no label exists, don’t use it outdoors. When creating your outdoor display, plug the lights into a ground-fault circut interrupter (GFCI)-protected outlet only!

Fireplaces

Use “fire salts” with extreme care. Fire salts are used to produce colored flames when using a wood-burning fireplace. These salts contain metals that can induce gastrointestinal irritation and subsequent vomiting if swallowed. Ensure that these substances stay out of reach of children and pets!

Don’t burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. Wrapping paper is highly flammable, and can cause a flash fire, igniting any flammable material around the fireplace or causing severe burns to those in close proximity.

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com

Super Easy Home Decorating Tips For Every Rochester Homeowner

For a lot of people, decorating the home is almost more difficult that renovating it. Which color to pick? What type of furniture? The options available are overwhelming. Even if you see something on TV or in a magazine, does that mean it's the best option for your unique home?

Decorating doesn't have to be complicated. Start by using some of these simple tips to help improve the look of any room.

Tip #1 - Add Plant Life!

By adding flowers or indoor plants to any space, you can bring color and life (literally) to the room. Who knows, it could even help your mood. The nice part about plants is that they come in all sizes and shapes. Don't have a green thumb? Ask your local greenhouse expert about the easiest indoor plans to maintain.

Tip #2 - Lay Some Rugs

Area rugs are a relatively cost effective way to really transform a room whether you're remodeling or not. The rug will warm up any tile or hardwood floor while protecting your floors from damage, wear and tear.

Tip #3 - Dress Up Your Windows

Blinds, curtains and drapes can do wonders for a space. These small touches will make the room look polished and give you some privacy. When in doubt, stick to lighter colors.

Tip #4 - Paint

Nothing refreshes a room like new paint. Again, when in doubt, choose a natural or neutral color. If you're brave, go darker. But you may wish to consult with an interior design expert first.

Tip #5 - Upgrade Your Lighting

It's amazing what new lighting can do. Whether you're going with a floor lamp, table lamp, or something installed in the ceiling, having the correct lighting pattern will set the tone for the whole room.

Tip #6 - Pillows & Comfy Blankets

While also serving a practical purpose, adding new throw pillows and blankets to your furniture allows you to add color, texture and personality at a very low cost.

Tip #7 - Art Work

We find that choosing the right art work for a room is very difficult. Consider photography or something more subtle. Check out a local art studio in addition to the usual retail stores. There are online sites that have a wider selection as well.

Source: http://www.trinityhomerenovations.com