Mixing unexpected colours latest
trend in today's décors  Paint Colour trends for 2009-2010 (NC)-You want to keep up with the latest developments in home décor? Start with mixing rather than matching the colours in your rooms. Mixing colours? Creating unexpected colour combinations is the latest message from Sico Paints, Canada's leading paint brand, as it unveils its top colour choices for 2009-2010. "Surprising colour combinations like peach with fuchsia, mustard with teal blue, neon green with dark navy and electric blue with deep slate will increasingly be fashionable in homes across the country," said Dominique Pépin, Marketing Manager for the Sico brand and a Chairholder of the international colour forecaster Color Marketing Group. "Over the next two years, we'll see unexpected colour combinations surfacing everywhere in home décor - on walls, furniture and accessories," she added. "We're talking about mixing punchy colours with pastel shades or very dark tones and complementing them with neutrals - shades that you wouldn't ordinarily think of putting together, but actually complement each other well." Pépin attributes the emerging trend to the growth of virtual technology, which she says has changed people's perspective of the world. "Virtual reality technologies have blurred the line between reality and fantasy, creating seemingly endless possibilities and dreams," she said. "Unexpected colour choices reflect this sense of freedom and optimism that anything can be accomplished when striving to create a brighter future." Topping the list of Sico's most popular paint colour combos for 2009-2010 are: . Vibrant, saturated greens, blues or yellows mixed with dark, industrial tones that create a sophisticated and energetic yet tranquil décor, such as Sico's Pomelo (6101-54) bright yellow, Bold Blue (6022-83) deep navy, Basalt Grey (6208-63) slate, and Coastal Breeze (6199-31) complex grey. . Soft florals merged with deeper lively colours that deliver an intriguing, eclectic feel to a room, like Pale Chestnut (6072-52) peach, Nunavut (6181-83) brown, Betrothal (6035-63) fuchsia and Rice Flour (6180-21) lavender grey. . Rich green and yellow botanical hues combined with jeweled tones that create a healing, invigorating ambiance like Sico's Virgin Olive Oil (6102-44) bright yellow, Green Leaf (6140-73) green, Poetic Green (6165-31) mint and Chanterelle Beige (6185-31) grey. . Chalky whites and muted shades offset by strong purples and dark slate that emit a futuristic yet romantic air, such as Deep in Time (6174-73) purple, Mozart (6172-52) lilac, Rembrandt Brown (6177-41) lavender, and Time Passages (6174-11) white. "Each of these groupings nourish the senses and feast the eye, merging shades that are alive yet calming," Pépin said, explaining that each combination is influenced by consumers' desire for calm, comfort and security in today's uncertain world - which translates into neutral, soft tones - yet optimism for the future, resulting in the growing trend towards more vibrant, futuristic and environmental colours. To see Sico's latest colour trends for 2009-2010 visit www.sico.ca . Increase your homes curb appeal and help protect the environment  (NC)-Homeowners can not only help protect the environment they can improve the curb appeal of their home with interlocking concrete pavement. Interlocking concrete pavement (ICP) is not only visibly appealing it lasts longer than other conventional pavements such as poured concrete or asphalt. A study by Applied Research Associates (ARA) finds life-cycle costing for Interlocking Concrete Pavements is 29 years. This is longer than other conventional pavements. This ability to last longer makes ICP the sustainable pavement of the future. Sustainable means using methods, systems and materials that won't deplete resources or harm natural cycles. Interlocking concrete pavement's longer life-cycle means less of an impact on resources. Every homeowner can do their part to protect the earth with the use of sustainable products around the home. For the homeowner ICP means less maintenance and repair and it looks great! An added plus for homeowners is the Home Renovation Tax Credit which will provide a one-year, temporary 15% income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired, between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010. Pavers are visually appealing Pavers can be used for walks, patios and driveways, as well as for parking lots and residential streets. Homeowners particularly like the vast array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures available. You can get rustic stone like pavers or others that look like clay brick. In the warmer months light-colored pavers can provide a cooler surface around patios and pool decks. When it gets cold these pavers are easy to snowplow and they work well in freeze-thaw environments. You can learn more about interlocking concrete pavements and find an experienced, professional installer by visiting the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute's Web site at www.icpi.org . |
Green your home and your hometown  (NC)-Controlling the quantity and quality of on-site runoff is a major concern across Canada. Design professionals and engineers are constantly searching for sustainable approaches to site development. Permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP) is a fast growing sustainable design approach to stormwater management. PICP uses solid concrete pavers placed on an open-graded aggregate base. The joints or openings are filled with a small open-graded aggregate. This small aggregate makes the system 100% permeable. The base of the system filters storm water and reduces pollutants. This water can be collected and used for such things as watering the lawn. Otherwise, the open-graded base stores and infiltrates the storm water back into the soil. PICP can help drought-stricken areas or places where storm sewers overflow from too much runoff. PICP can be used for walks, patios and driveways, as well as for parking lots and residential streets. Environmentally conscious homeowners are redoing their driveways and walkways with permeable interlocking concrete pavement, which not only looks good, but allows water to filter through the pavement to migrate back into the ground. In addition homeowners can further help the environment by supporting projects that use PICP in their locale at the municipal level. These systems can and should be used in commercial or municipal parking lots and walkways. Permeable pavers look good Homeowners particularly like the vast array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures available. You can get rustic stone like pavers or others that look like clay brick. PICP is easy to maintain and snowplow. In addition, because the snow melts faster on PICP, it reduces ice hazards. Another plus for homeowners is the Home Renovation Tax Credit which will provide a one-year, temporary 15% income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired, between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010. You can learn more about PICP and find an experienced, professional installer by visiting the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute's Web site at www.permeablepavement.org . New contest looking for your tips on keeping our water safe Little Drops, Big Ripples contest  (NC)-A new national contest is asking Canadian families and teachers and their classes to share your tips on keeping Canada's clear, pure and pristine water safe. Purex Natural Elements has launched a national contest with two prizes, one for Canadian families and one for teachers and their classes to share their tips for keeping our water clean and pure. "Every little drop, every little action, can create a big ripple to help keep our waters stay clean," said Roxanne Gregory, Brand Manager, Henkel Consumer Goods of Canada, Inc. "Our recent survey conducted by Angus Reid Strategies found that almost all Canadians, 96 per cent, believe that it is important to teach our children about the ways to protect our water system," said Ms. Gregory. "And 97 per cent of Canadians believe that parents should set an example for their children with the way they treat Canada's water resources. That's why we want Canadians to tell us what they can do at home to keep our water clean." The Little Drops, Big Ripples contest will run until May 22, 2009. There are two prizes: one for families and one for teachers and their classes. To enter the contest, log onto www.purexnaturalelements.ca and follow the on-screen instructions to submit your tip. For every entry received, Purex will make a donation to the Clean Water project, a Free The Children program that supports the construction of wells and clean water and sanitation systems in developing communities around the world. One grand prize winning family will receive a prize package designed to make doing laundry easier, more efficient and water friendly with a new high-efficiency front-loading washer and natural gas dryer and a year's supply of Purex Natural Elements laundry detergent. One lucky grand prize winning class will receive a presentation by Craig or Marc Kielburger, the two Canadian brothers that founded Free The Children and the Me to We Social Enterprises. |
Tips for saving our Canadian
water resources Water Watch (NC)-A new national survey conducted by Angus Reid Strategies on behalf of Purex Natural Elements laundry detergent shows that 91 per cent of Canadians believe that what you put down your drain has an impact on our environment. Yet, only 57 per cent of Canadians say they always think about what they are putting down their drains. Here are a few tips for getting your family to retrain their brains about down the drain etiquette: * Post a sign above your workshop, garage, basement and laundry room sinks that says "Stop and think before you dump that down the drain." * Ask yourself if you really need to run the water while brushing your teeth, rinsing off vegetables or dishes. Turning on the tap just as you need it, or filling the sink part way for rinsing will mean less wasted water down the drain. * Make sure your taps are turned off tightly after use. Little drips become big money and water wasters. * Don't throw that unused water boiled for tea down the drain; use it to water your plants instead. * Same goes for partially used bottles of water; with kids and family get-togethers there always seems to be a half-filled bottle or two left over. Give it to the plants or fill the pet's water dish with it. * Never use your toilet or sink as a garbage can. Don't dispose of dental floss, hair, cigarette butts, or paper tissues down the drain. * Household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides and other chemical are especially harmful to the environment and our water systems. Dispose of them properly. * Consider the type of soap, shower gel and laundry detergent you are using at the cottage or at home, especially if you are on a septic system. Look for brands that are flagged as septic-friendly. They tend to suds less, biodegrade easier and cause less stress on our lakes and streams. * If you use a high-efficiency laundry machine, make sure you use an HE laundry detergent. This will ensure less water is used to rinse the clothes and means less wasted water is going down the drain. * Learn to store and clean your paint brushes in an environmentally friendly manner. You can reuse you paint brush during your painting project by wrapping rollers and brushes in plastic bags to lock in the moisture overnight. Clean your brushes with non-toxic citrus-based cleaning lotions. Turpentine is also an environmentally friendly solvent made from the resin of coniferous trees. Pour some into a glass jar and then add a few drops of dishwashing detergent. Let brushes sit and then rinse off brushes in a clean container of water. Store used liquid in the jar labeled properly. The dirty paint will settle and you can pour off and reuse the clean liquid again. Dirty liquid should go to your local hazardous waste collection facility. Have a water drain etiquette tip to share? Tell us at www.purexnaturalelements.ca . Add value to your home  (NC)-Renovations do not always translate to an increase in the value of your home. However, if you're planning to sell sometime in the future and want to ensure you get the most bang it is important to assess the value renovation. Value-neutral and value-added renovations Surprisingly, as nice as it sounds, adding a swimming pool, or building a sauna or hot tub are considered value neutral renovations. This means there is not much payback in installing these features in your home. You can also expect the same for installing paving stones to the driveway and reducing the number of bedrooms to less than three. On the other hand, modernizing a kitchen and updating a bathroom are regarded as value-added renovations. The same can be expected by creating a master bedroom with an ensuite bath and/or walk-in closet; and by remodeling or adding a family room, especially on the main floor. Cost-effective options Coming up with extra cash for a home renovation is not easy, especially if you're juggling several financial responsibilities - including a mortgage, RRSP contributions and car payments. Finding a cost-effective financing option is a must, particularly if you're planning a major home improvement project. Consider for example the CIBC Home Power Plan, which provides the freedom and convenience of a secured line of credit coupled with the security and peace of mind of a mortgage. This means that by using the equity in your home you can take advantage of lower interest rates with the secured line of credit than a credit card. It also allows you to enjoy ongoing access to funds available when you need them. And if you prefer the security of knowing that your interest rates will remain stable for the term of your mortgage, you may want to consider a fixed rate mortgage. If the rates are better than what you're currently paying, then you'll save both on your mortgage payments and on the interest on your secured line of credit. Having a low interest rate on borrowed funds allows you to maximize the value of your renovation. For example, the total cost of the new kitchen and bathroom, including interest, may be offset by the increase in the value of your home. More information on this topic is available at your local CIBC branch, toll-free at 1 800 465-CIBC (2422) or online at www.cibc.com . |
