Orange County Blog

When homeowners consider remodeling, their budget becomes a major concern.  But there is an option available which is becoming increasingly popular. It is called Redesign and it is both affordable and accomplished with a minimal amount of time.  A credentialed interior redesigner takes existing furnishings, art collections, mirrors, decorative objects, etc and improves the room with traffic flow, color, and placement.  Room arrangements can typically be completed in a day.  Redesign works with the homeowner's own style while adding the needed pizzazz to one room or an entire home.

Here are some tips from Interior Redesigner and Stager Ellen M. Hassler

♦ Pull furniture away from walls and into the room.

♦ Mix several textures together for visual interest such as a nubby wool throw on a leather chair.

♦ Hang a mirror where it will reflect a beautiful view.

♦ Hang art for a reason such as to extend a piece of furniture.

♦ Group collections together for visual impact.

♦ Mantlescapes can be dramatic with a few large scale items and try layering or leaning artwork.

♦ Rooms come alive with something fresh such as flowers or bowl of green apples or even an aquarium.

♦ A coffee table is the most important table in the room for adding visual interest.

♦ You can never have too many lamps in a room. Consider adding a small lamp to a bookcase.

♦ Add punches of color with colorful accessories, art, and floral arrangements.

A professional redesigner knows how to provide functional space planning, architectural enhancement, the highlighting of proper focal points, visual balance and harmonious light placement.  By using what the homeowner already owns and loves, an environment is created that says "home".  Professional interior designers can be found on by using the words Interior Decorators in the search box.  To learn more about Ellen M. Hasler, a  professional interior designer specializing in redesign, visit:http://www.orangecountyresourceguide.com/directory/listing.php?id=170038

 

 

 

Living in Southern California we recognize that water is one of our most precious resources. We know from experience that California is perpetually in a drought.   Our water supply is dangerously low due to dry conditions, which then lead to prolonged fire danger seasons.  Both the Colorado River and Northern California, our primary water sources, have decreased over the past few years.   According to The Municipal Water District of Orange County, residential water consumption is the largest contributor to California’s urban water use.  In fact urban water use has been measured at more than 2.2 trillion gallons of water per year.  To put this number in perspective, that is half the annual flow of the Colorado River. Or look at the numbers in another way. On average, single family homes use 171 gallons of water per person, per day.  Approximately one third of that is used indoors for laundry, showers, toilets, sinks, washing dishes, etc.  The other two-thirds goes toward watering our yards.  It is critical that steps are taken to preserve this life giving fluid.   The Municipal Water District of Orange County wants to help. They are operating a program called Save Water, Get Cash!  When residents replace old, high water-using devices with new, water-efficient models, they will receive rebates.

Here is an example of how much water can be saved with available upgrades:

     Installing water-efficient rotating nozzles saves 3.6 gallons per nozzle, per day.
     Upgrading to a “smart” irrigation time saves 40 gallons per day
     Installing high efficiency toilets saves 38 gallons per toilet, per day
     Upgrading to a high efficiency clothes washer saves 24 gallons per day.
     Replacing your lawn with synthetic turf saves 12.5 gallons per 100 ft, per day

So what else can you do to save water?
Inside:
     Turn off the water when you brush your teeth – Save  3 gallons per day
     Shorten your showers by one or two minutes – Save 5 gallons per day
     Fix leaky faucets – Save 20 gallons per day
     Wash only full loads of laundry – Save 15-50 gallons per day
Outside:
     Water your yard only before 8 a.m. – Save 25 gallons per day
     Install a smart sprinkler controller – Save 40 gallons per day
     Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks – Save 150 gallons each time.
     Check your sprinkler system for leaks, over-spray and broken heads – Save 500 gallons a month
     Mulch your plants/gardens to reduce evaporation – Save hundreds of gallons a year.
     Plant fire resistant, drought tolerant plants

"To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed."
--Theodore Roosevelt, Seventh Annual Message, December 3, 1907

Caring for our environment is everyone’s responsibility.  Each day you can make simple decisions to make a difference in a big way.  Visit www.mwdoc.com/savewater or call (888) 376-3314 for more information on available rebates on water-efficient products. Of course, saving water isn’t the only way to care for our community.  Click on the Environmental text link in the QUICK LINKS section for information on more ways you can be environmentally conscious.

When the big one hits, will you be ready?  Over 5 million people participated in The Great Southern California Shakeout (www.ShakeOut.org) on November 13, 2008, a drill to test our readiness to deal with the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake.  A recent forecast found that sometime in the next three decades there is a 67 percent chance that the Greater Los Angeles area will experience a tremor of at least 6.7 – the same magnitude as the 1994 Northridge quake that killed 57 people.  A U.S. Geological Survey projection says a magnitude 7.8 quake along the San Andreas fault could cause 300 deaths in Orange County and bring down an unspecified 240,000-square-foot mixed-use building.  These sobering figures should move us to action.

What can you do to be prepared for a earthquake whether big or small?  Start by making a home earthquake plan.  Find a safe place in your home where nothing can fall on you away from windows or glass.  Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On at least twice a year by dropping under a heavy piece of furniture like a table or desk, holding on and protecting your eyes by pressing your face against your arm.  If no furniture is available, sit with your back against an interior wall away from bookcases, etc.  Identify and eliminate hazards in your home by bolting bookcases, china cabinets, and other pieces of tall furniture to wall studs.  Put sturdy latches on cupboards.  Lastly, secure televisions, books, and computers and other falling hazards.  Prepare a disaster supplies kit for both your home and car.  Some of the items to include would be canned food and a can opener, at least 3 gallons of water per person, protective clothing, bedding, battery powered radios and flashlights, extra batteries, written directions for turning off gas, electricity, and water.  A first aid kid and any necessary medications should be included in the kit as well.   Once this plan is in place, be sure that all family members, babysitters, and caregivers are aware of it.

Just as you can be prepared before an earthquake, there are tasks you can do once the shaking starts.  If you are in bed, stay there and protect your head with your pillow.  If elsewhere in your home, Drop, Cover, and Hold On, being sure to protect your head and face.  If outdoors, try to get to a clear area away from tall buildings, trees, and electrical lines and then drop to the ground.  If you are in your car, slow down and if possible, drive to a clear area away from buildings, etc. Stay in your car until the shaking stops. Through it all, try to stay calm.

Once the shaking stops, take an assessment of any injuries you may have sustained and then assess others for injuries.  Take a walk through your home, look for and extinguish any small fires. During your home inspection if you deem it unsafe, get out immediately. If you smell gas, turn it off.  But remember, only a professional can turn it back on!  Listen to the radio for information and use your telephone only to report emergencies.  Don’t be caught off guard by aftershocks as they are sure to occur.  Once again, Stop, Drop, and Hold On.

For a list of Orange County companies to help you "quake-proof" your home and family, go to the Search box on the Home Page of this Orange County Resource Guide and in the keyword box, type "Earthquake."