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FEATURED BUSINESS PAGES
Inspiration for that Perfect Room
by Bonnie & Nancy
Carl Harz Furniture
Now that you have the perfect room layout with the correct pieces of furniture in mind, it is time for the fun! We are often asked how or where to begin the decorating process. Here are two easy suggestions to get you started. The first is to fall in love with something. A swatch of fabric can be a great starting point. It gives your decorating project direction. A piece of art is another source, not that your room and art have to match, but it gives you a style and color direction. Usually you are drawn to art that reflects your color preferences and personal style.
The second suggestion is to pull photos from books, magazines, and even the internet, of rooms that you like. With this exercise you will find that you accumulate very similar rooms. It keeps you focused on your end result. These visuals serve as a great tool. A picture is welcomed by most sales and design professionals. It helps to define your tastes and prevent wasted time looking for the wrong style due to confusion over terminology.
There is an entire industry built around color predications. The trends are a result of what is going on in the world around us. Fabric manufacturers follow these trends when designing their fabric lines. The furniture manufacturers purchase their fabrics from the fabric companies based on their recommendations of what is up and coming, and then work their new designs around this. This short lesson serves to emphasize why there are color trends. [click here to read more]
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Home & Garden
Our most precious resource
by Chapman Vail
 It is around us everyday. It falls from the sky. We drive over it on bridges. We frolic in it for recreation. It comes into our homes and workplaces seamlessly and effortlessly. We take it for granted. It is so available to us that we hardly stop to think that there may not be enough. As humans, it is our most vital of needs. It is water.
Our planet is 98% covered with water. We seemingly have so much. Unfortunately, only 2% of the water on Earth is available to us to drink. As the world’s population continues to explode, the demand for water to meet our basic human needs increases exponentially. In the third world, dirty drinking water is responsible for most of the transmission of deadly diseases. In America, we tend to think water will always be there for us, but just ask Californians who suffer water shortages and drought on a regular basis how scarce water can be. [article continues below advertisement]
ADVERTISEMENT
 Browse the cozy rooms at The Scarecrow Factory in the heart of historic Woodstown, New Jersey, filled with country, primitive and Victorian decor. Each room is displayed with decorating ideas in mind. From candles to curtains, the Scarecrow Factory offers unique gifts, one-of-a-kind furniture, collectibles and handmade clocks.
The Scarecrow Factory (see coupon in the Marketplace)
25 East Ave. (Rte. 40), Woodstown, NJ 08098
(609) 769-1050 | www.ScarecrowFactory.com
As I have written before, being green is about conserving - and there is nothing more important or easier to conserve than water. Here are some simple, practical ways to help you do your part to conserve water:
- Every leaky fixture in your home, once repaired, saves up to 600 gallons of water per month!
- If you shorten your shower by 2 minutes each time, you can save up to 700 gallons of water per month.
- By running only full loads in your clothes washer and dishwasher, you can save up to 800 gallons of water per month.
- By turning off the water while brushing your teeth, you can save 3 gallons of water per day - that is approximately 90 gallons per month per person in your household!
- When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink and rinse with a second sink or a hose sprayer. This can save up to 500 gallons per month.
- Minimizing the use of your garbage disposer, and using your garbage can more, can save up to 150 gallons per month.
Most importantly, each time you turn on the water, if you remember to try to save even just a few seconds, over a lifetime, you will have a huge impact on conserving our most precious resource.
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About the contributor
Chapman Vail is a Green Advantage® Certified Practioner as well as an USGBC LEED Green Associate. He has presented to various local civic and government organizations on the topic of living green, green building, and sustainability. He recently completed a minor home subdivision with the development of “recycled” green homes. He also performs both residential and commercial green building evaluations and project consulting. He currently works and resides in Woodstown, NJ. For more information, email chapmanvail@comcast.net.
So you want to transform your space? by Tammy Collins, TLC Creations ETC
For many people the very thought of "what to do with this space" is so overwhelming that they end up doing nothing. It turns out, it’s really not that hard to get started on having a space that is exactly what you’ve always wanted. My advice to get the ball rolling is to take these three baby steps.
Thinking of Selling This Spring?
Make Your Home "Homebuyer Ready" - by Michele A. Hickey
Currently there are approximately 600 homes for sale in Salem County. How can you sell your home quickly and stand out from your competition?
"Homebuyer Ready" is unique in the real estate business, bringing smart ideas and added value to buyers and sellers alike. A smart way to reduce the time to close and ultimately save you money offers a smoother and more pleasant transaction overall. Buyers look for “Homebuyer Ready” properties as it reduces the need for lengthy negotiations, reduces their closing costs and helps assure fair market value and price. Click here to learn smart ways to prepare your home to sell!
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