Tag Archives: plants

Rich Looks for Thrifty Outdoor Rooms

I have to be honest. If someone wanted to build me one of those amazing outdoor rooms complete with fireplace and kitchen, I would not turn it down. I’d also like multilevel landscaping, a wrap-around porch and a deck overlooking a tropical sea.

What I actually have in my backyard is a concrete patio, a couple of trees and a chicken coop. There is also my DIY landscaping, better on some days than others. But my humble, poolhouse-free yard does not mean I can’t create a lovely outdoor room to call my own. With good furniture, a few plants and some imagination, anyone can have a lovely outdoor room.

Read more: http://sfgate.houzz.com/ideabooks/1560682/list/Rich-Looks-for-Thrifty-Outdoor-Rooms/w/sid=1

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Living Design: How to Decorate with Plants

 
If you’re looking for home décor that is beautiful, affordable, suited to any taste and actually improves the health and wellness of your home, look no further than your neighborhood garden center. With their wide array of colors, shapes and textures, houseplants are a perfect way to enliven your home’s interior landscape. They’re a fun outlet for gardening in winter and a perfect way to connect with nature in urban homes without much outdoor space. Living with plants is also good for us, beefing up the oxygen content of the air and cleansing it of toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene—common chemicals that can cause adverse health effects. Studies also have shown that the presence of houseplants lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and helps us ward off the common cold.
 
 
Will this add value to your home?  Depends.  Most indoor plants are considered personal property but there are always exceptions to the rule.  If you are trying to sell your home this may add to marketing value.  Contact the appraisers at www.socalappraisalserv.com for your value questions.
 
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1 Way of 24 Ways to Save Energy Now

#19 of series

Drought resistant landscaping

Well planned landscape – strategic plantings reduce cold-air infiltration in winter and block heat gain in summer.  A well planned landscape can reduce an unshaded home’s AC costs by 15 to 50%.   A landscape architect can select plantings that perform these functions and plot a layout that delivers results.

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