Technorating – Why This Interior Design Style Flourished Through the Years

Patsy LewinInterior Design, , , ,

The trend in decorating with technology was spearheaded by LG Collins in as early as 2008 and had even called the techno-based decorating style, “techorating.” Although digital signages were initially conceptualized as cost-efficient tools for advertising, LG Collins introduced the idea of using digital technology as an interior decorating component. Today, digital signages have evolved as they are now being used as interior decorations in lobbies of hotels, meeting hubs, restaurants, supermalls, museums, airports and even in waiting rooms of hospitals.

Technorating Components are More than Just Digital Signages

9The primary goal of techorating is to create a heart-warming ambience whilst enhancing the visual experiences of both occupants and visitors. As a matter of fact, LG Collins even engaged the services of celebrated interior designer Doug Wilson, host of the “Trading Spaces” show aired by Discovery’s educational TV network The Learning Channel (TLC). Mr. Wilson officially became the first “Techorator,” and through his show gave consumer tips and how-to guides when techorating or using digital panels as decors and elements of interior design.

Digital signage designs are not just for advertising campaigns anymore. As LED-based interior decorations, the fusion of LED technology and visual elements create unique experiences not only in high-end commercial markets but even in high-grade residential areas.

Although digital displays in the form of LED posters and wall hangers are premium products. their values are well worth their prices. Every panel of LED posters is deemed sustainable as it can last for at least a decade. Each digital display is housed and supported by a led poster frame, using a customer’s choice of material; such as gold, aluminum, copper or recyclable and reusable plastic called Polycarbonate plastic.

The good news is that makers of LED posters and panels say they are now seeing lower costs. That being the case, LED posters and panels are now available as affordable choices of aesthetic and visual art displays.

Innovators of Digital Hardware in Missions to Lower Costs of Techorating

Innovators in the hardware space have been making improvements in equipment, to enhance the cost-efficiency and quality of digital displays. Moreover, the digital content of LED posters can be remotely managed using CMS apps installed in Android or iOS devices.

Managing requires only a few clicks when looking to replace old content with new ones, which decoration managers can accomplish in any location. Being able to do so can also lower maintenance expenses

Green Roof Designs – Frisco Project Leaders Aim to Cover the City w/ Eco-Roofs

Patsy LewinInterior Design, , ,

If there is one roof design that is receiving widespread adoption and integration as part of a construction project, it is the concept of a Green Roof system. While the latest trends in interior designs aim to improve the quality of indoor air, complementing this with roofing structures that support ecology and the principles of sustainability is now being given priority by city planners.

In Frisco, Texas, housing developers who are one with building environment-friendly projects, see green roofs as the type of projects that fit their development philosophy.

The project leaders in this rapidly growing city say the roof design puts to a test the ability of frisco roofing contractors. They should be able to install green roofing systems that will make Frisco highly appealing to those seeking for a property to live in, at the Dallas Fort Worth area.
They also recognize the environmental benefits of having buildings and homes with green roofs. First and foremost is the abatement of rainwater, another is the additional protection against hail stones.
Thirdly, a green cover can reduce costs of cooling or heating demanded by occupants of the home or building.

Green Roof Design : How It Works and the Challenges it Poses

Advancements in agricultural technology provided the answer to the lack of space in which to grow vegetations and augment food production. In light of the advanced agricultural methods and architectural developments, the integration of green and ecology friendly rooftops are no longer impossible.

Actually, the study of green roofs is an important course in today’s interior designing education. Here, students are made to understand that the plants covering the roof surface must absorb the rainwater. The green roofing system has drainage and substrate layers intended to delay the flow of excess rainwater into the sewage system.

Moreover, the green roofing system can purify rainwater, whilst allowing water to evaporate to reduce the amount of water going into the sewage, which lowers risks of flooding. Also called the eco-roof, it can be installed with a flat or angled roof design.

A flat roof though has to have a protection overboard to serve as covering for the regular roof that forms part of the entire eco-roof system.

Although the price of green roofing is definitely a lot higher, the incentives offered by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act will encourage home and building owners to consider covering their structures with green roofs.

Anime Theme Design : An Interior Design Project that Must be Taken Seriously

Patsy LewinInterior Design, , , , ,

The world’s continuing love for Japanese manga and anime defied what was initially thought of as a fad that would eventually become obscure and be forgotten. The present generation of anime lovers are quite satisfied watching episodes of many long running, classic anime shows led by the likes of Doraemon, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and One Piece,which is just to mention a few. Many parents relive their anime days by encouraging their children to turn their bedroom into fun and exciting anime enclaves.
Bet you didn’t know that every year, fans of Naruto even come out with a Naruto color palette consisting of yellow, brown, black, blue and beige as color combinations or monochromatic schemes of each color.
Nowadays, using anime as a theme for a bedroom interior design is possible without making the end result look childish and juvenile. That is even if the user is a young-at-heart adult anime fan, or a young professional.
Without further ado, the following are some tips on how to professionally decorate a bedroom using anime as the main theme.

Who Will Appreciate an Anime-Themed Bedroom?

While using anime as a theme seems fun and easy, it still requires careful planning to make sure the design concept will be appreciated.
First off, who will be the occupant of the room and what makes the anime attractive to that person? Knowing this will give you an idea about the best mural images, area rugs, pillows, curtains and linen designs to present as choices.
Secondly, know the function of the space in which the design will be used. While it may be a personal space, is it just a bedroom, or a bedroom with study space, a bedroom and gaming room, or a play den for the entire brood.
What are the design parameters, do you go all out in using all characters or just the occupant’s favorites.
Does the occupant want a room full of mish-mash anime images and action figures or just some subtle collection that serves as reminders of how he or she lived his life as an anime fan across 2 decades. This is important because strong depictions can bring on both happy and nostalgic memories, as the owner of the room may be a late Gen Xer or an early Millennial.
Does the anime remind him of his hopes and aspirations to become a hero? Does it simply bring back memories of the days when life was not as easy as today, when you can simply stream nonton anime id anytime you like; or download a copy for building your own collection.

Case Example : Using “Doraemon” Wall Murals

Using modern anime-themed wall murals will instantly distinguish a well thought of bedroom design, especially if the room follows the color palette of the wall murals. “Doraemon,” one of the longest running anime classics, is an inspiration for a lively blue color. Blue is actually a peaceful and calming color, one cannot go wrong using a large Doraemon mural image as backdrop of a bed. While the mural can be set against a white or gray wall color, adding a touch of yellow similar to the color of Nobita’s yellow shirt will likely brighten up a room.

The Evolution of German Design Styles Before Minimalism Became Mainstream

Patsy LewinDesign, , ,

The popular opinion among contemporary professional designers about the classic German interior designs is that they merely attempt to modify the medieval Empire style. As in most ethnic styles, German designs started out with subtle rawness that absorbed the country’s strict, laconic and restrained culture. Nonetheless, it strived to develop an atmosphere that doesn’t lack in gloss and craftiness.

The Biedermeier style is considered as the pioneer of the eclectic German design introduced as an alternative for the Empire style. Other aliases for the style include ancient Germanic, Neo-Renaissance, and Altdeutsch.

Modifications in designs had to be made as the new generations of aristocrats replaced castles, mansions, and manors with palatial homes built on smaller spaces. The Empire style design elements particularly the huge medieval style furniture were no longer suitable. Yet, the changes introduced by Biedermeier furniture makers still included Gothic details and romantic elements, which essentially retained many features of the Empire style,

Massive furniture installations, and an array of impractical interior decors that included dust-gathering stucco moldings failed to gain following that would have made the Biedermeier style popular in Germany. It was even branded as a “bug renaissance” as many mocked the concepts of its caricature-like cramped appearance inside space-sparse rooms. The Biedermeier style therefore was short-lived, as the trend finally became pas·sé by the end of the 19th century.

The Bauhaus Style Systematically Eased Out the Biedermeier Designs

During the 1930s, a brand new German style called “Bauhaus” appeared systematically. It was created by architect Walter Gropius together with a group of students attending his school of architecture. The style, which possessed laconic and modern concepts, also had practical direction. Design elements that were very different from both the Empire and Biedermeier styles that was full of meaningless decorations and eclecticism.

The “Bauhaus” German style gives emphasis to architectural components in its interiors, which made the design principles of minimalism, constructivism, and modernity several German national characteristics the right design treatments.

Bauhaus style combined light wall decoration with a dark floor, while maintaining huge free spaces in which to arrange functional furniture and podiums, mostly in rounded lines. Over time, the Bauhaus style became the contemporary designs adopted in the homes of many wealthy German folks, giving it the distinction of being the option of “connoisseurs.” Bauhaus presented a more elegant style as it interposed minimalism and pure ethnicity that didn’t completely transform German culture.

Bavarian Designs Provided the Contrast

Although the Kingdom of Bavaria became part of a Unified Germany during the mid-18th century era, the Bavarian design style likewise retained its own design culture. Up to now, visitors are quite delighted with the colorful Alpine-inspired buildings that still use ornate mosaic tiles

While the buildings in the cityscapes include an assortment of architectural styles, from Baroque to Classic, Neoclassic, Rococo and Romanesque, the only architectural style that is distinctively Bavaria are the variations of farmhouse in different regions, which German designers call Bauernhaus.

When applied to residential homes, the style denotes an environment that has the cosiness of a traditional farmhouse yet at the same made modern by the addition of kitchens equipped with high tech materials and appurtenances that provide great levels of functionality and comfort.

The concept of contrast is somewhat similar to King Ludwig II’s Schloss Neuschwanstein bei Füssen, which wanted to project an image of a medieval fairy tale castle but enhanced with all the trappings of the emerging technologies introduced by the industrial revolution. The Bavarian King was in fact accused of being a madman for spending Bavaria’s fortune on a castle, with which all the spires, spikes, towers and bridges were only for design and aesthetic purposes.

What Do Swedes Consider as Child-Friendly Room Designs

Patsy LewinDesign, , ,

The typical design of a child’s room in Sweden, uses aesthetic elements to create a child-friendly area that is safe, functional and conducive to learning. Generally, Scandinavian homes have a distinctive quality of having a minimalist design that puts greater emphasis on having simples lines, natural lighting and organization.

The overall goal ib designing a child’s room is to create an environment that allows for safe exploration and discovery, in anticipation of behaviors that transpire during the early stages of childhood development. In Sweden, child care is an important job but not in a manner that suppresses the natural tendencies of children to move about by crawling, climbing; or to discover by touching, grasping, dropping, throwing or even tasting objects they find in their environment.

A child friendly space is one in which parents do not have to worry about the safety of a child but at the same time conducive to positive behavioral developments and learning experiences.
Actually, even as Swedish parents are confident that their child is sleeping in a child-friendly room, they feel more at ease if there is a babyvakt or a baby sitter device in the area. As a matter of fact, the device is so important they make it a point to buy one that is included in a list of babyvakt bäst i test (the best babysitter based on tests).

That way they can decide on features that will give them peace of mind of being alerted when the baby wakes up. Some baby monitors have built-in cameras and audio capability that enable parents to have a clear visual while doing chores in another room.

Typical Aesthetic Elements of a Child-Friendly Room

To encourage safe exploration, a child-friendly room follows simple straight lines in which aesthetic elements like color, texture, patterns and shape are selected not only for their visual appeal but also for their functionality.

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In Sweden, it is common to paint the walls of a child’s room in white; serving as a subtle backdrop for color-accented furnishings and decorations. Wooden, rather than concrete floors are the hallmarks of a Swedish child’s room; providing a modicum of safely features for crawling or when learning to walk. Furnitures have no sharp corners and painted with water-based, zero VOC paint

The windows in a child-friendly room must be large enough to let in plenty of natural sunlight; whilst using simple child-safe Roman shades as opposed to heavy curtains.

Lighting fixtures commonly used in a Swedish child’s room are recessed bulbs. Nigh lights are often ensconced in animal shaped sculptures.

Keep in mind that newborns do not stay as infants for long, which makes the main design of a child-friendly room ready for future play activities. Early childhood education is usually imparted by way of playing activities using colors, shapes, images, textures and geometric patterns that a child immediately sees in his or her own space. When choosing child-friendly decorations, the best ones are those that will tap a child’s interest in learning more about the things that usually surround him or her.

Low or Steep Slope Roof Designs that Can Meet the Demands of Florida’s Weather

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Roof designs in Tampa, Florida take into consideration the weather in the Gulf Cost region to ensure they are optimized for different harsh weather elements. Heavy downpours, powerful high winds and scorching solar heat have never been kind to Florida homes, particularly in the Tampa Bay Area. That is why most roof designs in Tampa are never dead flat, but either a low slope or steep slope, as the slant will allow rainwater to drain.

Since a low slope roof is nearly flat, its design cannot expect water to flow in a specific direction. A steep slope roof on the other has better water-draining performance, as the roofing system relies on the pull of gravity to causes water to flow in a single, general direction.

To fortify the roofing system of a low slope roof, it is constructed with some form of membrane that provides continuous covering extending all the way to the roof’s edge. That way, the roofing systems can withstand any occurrence of standing water. Membranes are continuous sheets of waterproof materials that are welded together either by heat or adhesive.

Types of Membranes Commonly Used for Low Slope Roofs

Traditionally, low slope roofing systems are designed as built-up roofs, in which membranes forming a watertight covering comprise layers of tar paper.

Although this type of low slope roofing system has seen a long history of excellent performance, the downside to it is that its costing is dependent on the current price of crude oil. It’s also criticized as non-environment friendly foofing material in relation to the use of tar-based ingredients.

Nonetheless, manufacturers have come up with other options to make modern low slope roofing systems high performing and at the same time environment friendly.

Modified Bitumen

This roofing system uses asphalt that has been chemically modified to make it flexible when used to strengthen fiberglass mat. While described as having high tensile strength and insulation as a building component, its track of excellent performance includes having a superior waterproofing system. Modified Bitumen is highly rated for its excellent performance against wind, fire, and/or hail.

Yet the main reason why Modified Bitumen is a popular choice in Florida is its competitive life-cycle cost, which manufacturers back up with offers of long-term warranties.

Single Ply

These roof membranes are heat-welded thermoplastic materials, manufactured under controlled conditions so that the material can be installed as a cost-competitive single ply protection against Florida’s harsh weather conditions.

Highly rated as a high performing Energy Star product, it usually comes in white to make the single-ply membrane heat-reflective. Moreover, it garnered high scores for being environmentally friendly not only in terms of manufacturing processes, but also in their transport, installation and disposal.

As a roofing component, single-ply membranes have a long history of excellent performance, owing to its high-tensile strength and superior waterproofing characteristics.

Still, roofing materials including the materials covering the entire roofing systems, whether asphalt, metal or tiles, whether for a low or steep slope roofs must be installed by well-engineered seaming and weathering construction applications that must meet, not only the needs of the homeowner but also the demands for performance by Florida’s weather.

Otherwise, the roofing system will be no match against the tropical depression, tropical storms and hurricanes that perennially hit the region.

In the event that roof leaks occur, a homeowner must look for a Roof repair company in Tampa, Florida whose certified roofers have years of experience in analyzing the science and technology of the roofing systems in Florida.

Electric Bikes: Overcoming Criticisms as an Exercise-Cheating Tool

Patsy LewinDesign, , ,

During their early years in the market, electric bikes didn’t gain much traction because they were regarded by cycling enthusiasts as an exercise-cheating tool. Yet it took a pandemic for consumers to realize that being able to pedal effortlessly, while covering a fairly good distance, and without breaking into a sweat, was good enough reason to use an ebike. Besides, unlike cars that require secure indoor parking spaces when not in use, storing ebikes indoors, even in upper-level living spaces is quite manageable, because most models have a walk-assist feature or are foldable.

Studies Show that Ebikes Also Help Improve Physical Fitness

Nevertheless, a study conducted by researchers of Brigham Young University (BYU) revealed that riding an ebike is not as effortless as many would like to think. The outcome of their study shows that electric bikes require nearly as much physical effort as riding a traditional bike.

The BYU study, which was published in the Medical Internet Research Journal upheld the findings of a smaller study published in the NLM National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2016. A group of researchers in Boulder, Colorado reported that participants who commuted by way of pedelecs (electronically-assisted bicycles) showed improved blood sugar levels and fitness after a month of using the pedal-assisted vehicle. Participants said the riding experience was so much fun that they used the pedelecs more often than they did with their traditional mountain bike.

Popular Indoor Storage Solutions for Ebikes

Keeping a single unit of ebike is not a problem because it wouldn’t take up much space. Nowadays, there can be more than one ebike in a single household, but storing all units inside a living space is still doable. Storage solution designers were quick to take note of the growing cycling culture that they were quick to come up with various space-saving bicycle racks and mounts.

First off, it’s understood that ebike users will at least wash off the dirt and grime stuck on the tires before bringing their bike inside. There are special soaking mats and bicycle trays to prevent excess oil and water from dripping and soiling the floor.

While some ebikes are foldable and easier to store indoors, most non-folding models come with a walk-assist mode. This support feature makes the weight of the bike negligible and navigating easier, when needing to walk the bike in different directions.

A simple bike rack is the easiest solution, and there are adjustable racks that can expand and allow storage of additional bikes.

However, if space is an issue, a rack that can be attached to the wall allows mounting the ebike off the ground and against the wall in a vertical position. It’s important to make sure that the rack is made from sturdy steel material and has padded hooks to prevent scratches and other potential damages. Also, if a rack is meant for storing multiple bikes in different sizes, look for one that has adjustable hooks to ensure that every bike can be mounted securely.

If living in an apartment where renters are not allowed to bore holes on walls, there are space-saving racks that can stand alone, and are called gravity racks. This type of rack is designed in a way that the feet of the stand extends beyond the bike’s center of gravity, to ensure stability when propped on the floor and next to a wall. There are gravity racks that can hold, up to two bicycles.

Still, while there’s a wide range of bike storage solutions, make it a point to check the maximum capacity of the hook and stand in relation to bike weights and sizes.