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Summertime Simplicity in Your Home Decorating
Here in the Northeast, summer is almost here. With hot humid weather approaching-it's already here in the southern part of the country-we can learn a few tricks from our grandparents. Before air conditioning was common, most housewives prepared their homes for the heat of summer. They knew the windows would be open letting in dust as well as fresh air. Children would be home from school and running in and out, dragging sand and dirt with them and dripping water from wading pools on the floors. Afternoons were a time to sit on the porch and drink lemonade, read a book, and visit with neighbors. No one wanted to be cleaning and scrubbing in 90 degree weather. Our grandmothers prepared for the hot and humid weather by packing away the heavy rugs and drapes and those things in the house which made it harder to keep up the house. Chairs were covered with washable slipcovers, knickknacks were packed away so they didn't need to be dusted and the home was made as low maintenance as possible. This resulted in a clean, stripped down effect which was cool to look at and required less work to keep clean and comfortable during the sweltering days of summer. It was much easier to dust a clear surface or mop a wood floor than to clean around all of the small decorative objects we tend to collect or run a sweeper over the oriental rugs. Decorations were flowers and fruits of the seasons. Lace and linen mats were used instead of heavy linen or damask cloths. Sheer curtains or sun blocking shades were put at the windows. Many women had summer china. Food was prepared in the cooler mornings and eaten cold for supper. Houses looked cool and living was less formal. These days many of us have air conditioning and it isn't necessary to pack things away to make the house low-maintenance for the hot weather. However, if we use these same principles there are pay offs for the modern homeowner. Clear the table tops and shelves, simplify the table arrangements, put away the heavy bedspreads and curtains. If you wish to decorate there are lovely 'throw away' decorations made of paper or straw. Try a pleated paper fan on the mantel or a glass bowl filled with river rocks or shells. The result of this simplifying is that we have a home which appears cool and fresh. For full-time homemakers, being able to get the housework out of the way by lunch time gives us afternoons free to play with our children, go for a swim, or read a book we haven't had time for over the winter months. For those of us who work outside the home, it makes a nice change to be able to spend our free time in our yards, or walking in the park, sharing pool time with our children and having picnics. We spend less time taking care of our homes and have more time for our families and friends and for those outdoor activities which we enjoy and which help us to store up good health for the winter. When we are inside, our homes are more relaxed and have a casual summery feel. Our homes don't have to look like beach cottages but the plainness gives them a kind of simple elegance. Why waste time in caring for our homes when we want to be outside hiking, gardening, or playing tennis and enjoying time with friends and family? In the autumn when the weather starts to cool, we can bring out the heavier items and place them around the house. They will give our homes a new look and we can enjoy our homes and possessions much more because we've had a break from looking at them and caring for them. Content for this article was provided by ON THE GO 4 U design consultant, Suzanne Copenhaver, who has years of experience with decorating the less than perfect space. Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The company's creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net © 2005 Indra A Books for ON THE GO 4 U
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Guests on Sunday TV news shows (AP via Yahoo! News) Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: Report: News not good for White Sox' Quentin (Sports Illustrated) NEW YORK (SI.com) -- White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin received some bad news from an MRI on his right forearm and wrist, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The injuries have kept Quentin, one of the AL's leading MVP candidates, out of the lineup since Monday. Green news harvest: stolen solar panels, love for small wind (CNET via Yahoo! News) A sampling of green-tech news with quick commentary. In TV news matchup, cable wins convention coverage (Los Angeles Times) Cable news networks logged record viewership during the two weeks of back-to-back convention coverage NFPs Fail to Cool Dollar Rally, Looks to Next Friday's US Retail Sales, Fannie/Freddie News (Forex Video) (Daily FX via Yahoo! Finance) US dollar holds strong despite disappointing NFPs, jump in unemployment rate to 6.1%. Forex traders look ahead to RBNZ rate decision, US retail sales, and news this weekend from the Treasury regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. News vet: Coverage ob-scene (Boston Herald) WBZ-TV is reeling from massive cuts and was the only Boston station that didn't send a reporter to the political conventions, but it has devoted over-the-top news coverage... Good News Club for children (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza) The non-denominational Bible Club ?Good News Club? for children from kindergarten through fifth grade meets every Friday for Bible stories, games, songs, snacks,and prizes! Sunday news shows (The Monterey County Herald) Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: 6 a.m.: NBC's "Meet the Press" ? Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. 7 a.m.: "Fox News Sunday" ? Obama chief strategist David Axelrod and McCain campaign manager Rick Davis. 8 a.m. Guests on Sunday TV news shows (Boston Globe) Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows: ABC's "This Week" -- Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram enter joint distribution deal (Dallas Morning News) The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram have reached a joint distribution agreement in an effort to reduce costs, the two newspapers said Friday. Site: news - Google News News Analysis A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the CIA - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for interior decorating Interior Decorators Challenge State Law On Job Title (Hartford Courant) Lynne Herrmann will help you pick a color for your living room walls, choose upholstery or recommend fabric for your draperies. You can find her in the phone book listed as an "interior decorator" or "designer of interiors" ? but never under the label "interior designer." Warm Weather Decorating in Cool Hues (Carteret County News-Times) (ARA) - When the weather turns warm, we open our windows to let in the light and fresh air. But there are other ways to update living spaces to reflect the best of the summer season. How to Integrate Personal Style into Your Kitchen and Bath (Carteret County News-Times) (ARA) - Most of us have developed a unique personal style and we know what fashions work for us. But when it comes to decorating or remodeling our homes, particularly our kitchens and bathrooms, style preferences can be harder to pin down. A student's dedication to interior design (University of Connecticut Daily Campus) Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity to soak in the nuances and differences of other cultures - their food, their style, their arts and their way of life. And one of the frequently-unmentioned benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to experience the fact that outside of the United States, the residential college system is fairly uncommon, or at least of a far smaller scale. Interior Decorating Seals the Deal (New York Times) Just finding the perfect new home may no longer be enough; some buyers seem to want the house predecorated in the bargain. This odd house (Sewickley Herald) Interior designer Tom Weigel mixes imagination and personal style to create one-of-a-kind rooms. read more » Restoration after flooding (The Springfield News-Leader) Interior decorator Debra Moore spent two months preparing for her dream life. The Interactive New Site for the Budding Laurence Llewellyn-Bowens out There (PRWeb) Need inspiration for your next decorating or home improvement project? Then totallyhome.co.uk is a new website well worth looking at. (PRWeb Sep 10, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/totallyhome/080908/prweb1302084.htm The Interactive New Site for the Budding Laurence Llewellyn-Bowens out There (PRWeb via Yahoo! News) Need inspiration for your next decorating or home improvement project? Then totallyhome.co.uk is a new website well worth looking at. Browse News & Feature Stories (Metro Times Detroit) 134 stories found. Showing page 1 of 5. Site: interior decorating - Google News Interior decorator pursues her true passion - Telegraph-Journal
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