Author: ION

As we enter into a new decade, there are a variety of creative trends to watch out for, many of which could define much of future office design.

In recent years, there’s been a major focus on employee wellbeing, and ways in which to promote this to better working life, increase staff retention and further productivity. With environment playing such a major part in wellbeing, one of the biggest ways businesses have been promoting this is through office design.

We spoke to office agents, Pilcher Hershman, to discuss office design trends to watch for 2020: 

Natural Light

Many employers are beginning to realise the role natural sunlight has to play in workplace productivity. Without enough natural light, employees can often feel depressed and upset by their dim working environment. This can hinder productivity, as staff can feel less motivated to work in an unpleasant environment. 

Natural light can also help to make employees feel more awake, and therefore boost energy levels and enhance their productivity. By incorporating a lot of sunlight into an office’s design, employers can therefore help to promote the aesthetics of their office, and subsequently their employees’ energy and wellbeing. 

Green Spaces

Having a lot of plants and flowers around the office can also help to improve the aesthetics, brightening up peoples’ days and inspiring growth and productivity. 2020 may therefore see more green spaces throughout offices, helping to create a natural and vibrant office environment, greatly complimented with large amounts of natural light. 

Open Plan 

Working in closed-off areas can make employees feel claustrophobic and stressed, affecting their mood at work and potentially hindering productivity. Many offices have begun to adopt a more open plan office design, giving their employees space to think and socialise with other members of staff.  

Creating open spaces in an office can help employees to feel more relaxed, whilst designated open areas for breaks can encourage them to socialise and further strengthen a team. Overall, an open plan can therefore help to increase productivity throughout an office, boosting employee morale whilst also encouraging team bonding. 

Minimalist Design

Another major trend that many offices have implemented is a minimalist interior design. Similar to an open plan, having a minimalist design can help to give an office more space, making employees feel less claustrophobic and more relaxed in their working environment. 

Having a minimalist design can also increase efficiency throughout a workspace, eliminating unnecessary items that clutter up space and further utilising it for workstations and meeting rooms.  

Everyone’s bedroom should be a place of rest, where you feel calm and relaxed. There are various different ways you can make your bedroom an optimal place for this, creating a space to alleviate the everyday stresses of life, and promote a healthy sleep. Weighted blankets are perfect for this, as they are designed to alleviate stress and anxiety, whilst also helping to improve sleep.

To Help Alleviate Stress and Anxiety

Weighted blankets can help to alleviate stress and anxiety by providing the brain with proprioceptive input. Our brains are constantly sending signals around our body to try and place it in a space. When feedback from these signals is insufficient, it can cause confusion in the brain, resulting in stress and restlessness.

When designed correctly, weighted blankets can help the brain to receive information about where the body is quicker, which can make the body more relaxed, and help us to unwind. 

Having a weighted blanket in your bedroom can therefore help you to unwind by providing the brain with proprioceptive input, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation within the space. 

To Help with Insomnia and Other Sleep Issues

Weighted blankets can also help to promote sleep. In recent years there have been an increasing amount of studies conducted into the effectiveness of weighted blankets. These studies have related the use of weighted blankets with increased amounts of sleep and better sleep patterns overall. 

Those with sleep issues such as insomnia can therefore benefit from weighted blankets, as they can help to promote healthy quantities and qualities of sleep and further overall wellbeing.

Having a weighted blanket in your bedroom can therefore help to optimise it for sleep, helping to create the calming environment that’s needed for this. 

Calming Blanket sell a range of different products to help promote sleep, including weighted blankets. All blankets from Calming Blanket are designed with even weight distribution to allow its users to experience the full effects it can bring, and soft fabric to further promote relaxation.   

To Promote Sleep in General

Weighted blankets can be beneficial for everyone, not just those who struggle with their sleep. There are a lot of people who use weighted blankets to reach the deep REM stage of sleep faster. 

Whatever your relationship with sleep, weighted blankets can therefore help to improve both quality and quantity of it, which can further productivity levels and wellbeing. 

Keeping workplaces and other common areas hygienic is incredibly important for both the health and the productivity of those in the space. It can help to prevent infections from spreading in a communal area, which can further prevent sick days from work, and improve employee wellbeing. 

Image by Squirrel_photos from Pixabay

But just how can you help to make areas such as the workplace hygienic? And how can you maintain this long-term? 

Stocking-Up on Cleaning Supplies 

A major part to keeping your workplaces and other common areas hygienic is cleaning. You can only ensure a place is clean with proper cleaning products. Having these products stocked-up and readily available can also help to keep the area prepared for any spillages, and can help you to implement a regular cleaning routine. 

Some of the main items you’ll need to keep a place clean include:

• Sponges 
• A mop and bucket
• Detergent 
• A dustpan and brush
• Disinfectant sprays

Be it an office, school, hospital or otherwise, most shared spaces will require these basic cleaning products in order to maintain hygiene.

Organising the Area 

Another way to keep a workplace or spaces similar to this hygienic is to properly organise the area. For example, investing in filing cabinets and desktop trays can be great for organising loose documents and other important files in a workplace. By having designated places to organise these papers, an office can help to maintain hygiene by promoting tidiness.

By keeping a workspace tidy, this can help to further promote productivity, as it reduces the risk of employees losing various bits of important paperwork.  

Cleaning the Space Regularly

A key part to keeping any area hygienic is regular clean-ups, especially in areas where dirt can build up quickly (e.g. a bathroom). The bathrooms of any communal space are bound to get used most days. Therefore, it’s important to make sure all bathrooms are disinfected on a daily basis to maintain hygiene and prevent the spread of infection. 
You can also help improve hygiene by using high-quality materials, like stainless steel partitions, for example.

Another important part to bathrooms in a workspace or otherwise is their design. These bathrooms should be designed and built in a way that promotes hygiene, for example having surfaces that are easy to clean along with other features such as hygienic wall cladding from the likes of Trovex or Focus.

Implementing a Cleaning Schedule

For communal areas such as an office, it might be worth considering a cleaning rota. Introducing a cleaning schedule can help to encourage everyone to do their bit, whilst also keeping up to date on the last time areas were cleaned.  

By monitoring how frequently a space is cleaned, you can help to encourage cleaning when necessary, and thereby maintain hygiene.   

Decorating is a highly subjective topic.

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

You make many important choices and you want the result to resonate with you, based on what you like and what you do not like. Nowadays, there is so much information available for people that want to decorate their homes. Countless magazines and websites exist and they can all be used for inspiration purposes.

The problem is that when you simply look at images and other projects, you can end up making some serious errors. Home decorating is about the subjective side of how the room looks like but this does not mean you should ever make the decoration errors highlighted below.

Using Small Area Rugs

When the area rug that you add to a room is very small, the entire room ends up feeling underwhelming. Out of all the home decorating mistakes possible, this is very common. Furniture needs to sit right on the rug. When this is not possible, at least the front legs have to be placed on the area rug.

Make sure that you carefully choose the very best sized area rug if this is something you want to add to a room.

Not Considering Functionality

There are parts of the home where functionality is much more important than décor. This includes your kitchen and your bathroom. You need to first deal with the essentials and then think about decorating. For instance, if there are some hot water Canberra problems inside the bathroom, they have to be fixed first and everything else should be tackled afterward, with the remaining budget. Always choose priorities.

Choosing Paint Color First

It is very common to see homeowners first choosing a paint color and then the rest of the elements that are going to be added to the room. You can find paint available in literally thousands of different colors. This means you can match paint color with everything inside a room.

Always first choose the pieces that are really expensive inside a room as you decorate. Then, simply decorate around these. In most cases, you will end up choosing paint color among the last steps taken.

Hanging Artwork Really High

Art can look stunning inside a room but it never looks great if it is hung too high. Art is often hung close to the level of the ceiling. Instead, just hang art at the level of your eyes. Obviously, this can vary from one person to the next, based on height. If you have doubts, simply hang art lower than you would normally do it. It is better than hanging it higher.

Using Short Curtains

Drapes and curtains need to skim the floor in practically any room of the home. It is completely suitable when they are longer and they can puddle. However, they should never end up being shorter. Short curtains simply look like pants that are very short on an individual. They just make the entire wall look shorter than it actually is and very truncated. Avoid this very common home decorating mistake by making sure you use curtains of the right length.

As a homeowner, you want to cut costs as much as you can before they accumulate. From trying to find auto insurance to bundle with your home insurance to maintaining a decent credit score, there are innumerous ways to save on coverage. 

Image from pxhere

Home improvement is another expensive (but necessary) cost we face when owning and taking care of a house. What if we told you you could use repairs and replacements to your advantage? If your home needs to be remodeled, there’s a way to do it that could lower your insurance costs. 

Put on a New Roof

“The roof is probably the single biggest factor affecting your policy,” Jim Towns, an Allstate insurance agency owner, stated. A new roof can save you up to 20% on your premium, even more, if you’re located in areas known for hurricanes or other storms that damage roofs. 

Most policies cover roofs, but they will base it off whether the roof is worth protecting. Get your roof inspected, the age and condition it is in will determine how much coverage you will receive, if at all. Insurance companies are more likely to dish out money for newer roofs, especially when it’s reinforced against storms and damage. 

Upgrade Kitchen and Bath 

This renovation depends on what the coverage includes. Spending nearly fifty thousand on granite countertops will cost more for the insurer to protect, which will make your premium go up. However, updating your electric or plumbing systems may help lower the risk of damage or electrical fire. This may make you eligible for insurance discounts.

Install Smart Home Devices 

Smart homes use the Internet of Things (IoT), which are devices connected to the internet and your smartphone. These gadgets have the potential to make your home safer and help you maintain things like thermostats. With a data feed from your home, certain insurance companies will reward you for being vigilant about the state of your home. 

Many insurance providers offer discounts and rebates for installation and devices designed to keep the house safe. Here are some smart home devices that may reduce your home insurance rates.

Wireless Security Systems

A smart security system is one of the best tech investments you can make for your home and your insurance company. Not only does it encourage your insurers to reduce your premium because you’re less likely to be burgled, but there are fewer chances of you making a claim in the first place. 

Smoke Detectors

Smart smoke detectors send mobile alerts, sound sirens, and detect the severity of a hazard and suggest appropriate action. These devices work great injunction of other fire prevention methods, and insurance companies appreciate it. 

Water Sensors

Water damage is expensive, but smart water detectors can prevent and reduce their risk. It is also one of the most common and controllable claims, so insurance companies will reward you for taking preventative measures against it. Smart water devices have an app and will send you notifications. Then, you can turn off the water in your home, no matter where the distance.

Smart Locks

Smart locks are another security measure to help you protect yourself from burglary. The device allows you to lock or unlock your doors from the touch of a button on your smartphone. They can work alongside your current locks, and you can save a little on your insurance premiums and rebates. 

Before You Upgrade or Buy a Home

As a policyholder, renovating parts of your home means updating your policy as well. To protect the full value of your home, you will need to update your home insurance about the renovation. When notifying your insurers about your home improvement plans, make sure that you:

• Verify that your contractor has insurance coverage
• Keep records and receipts

To guarantee that you will earn a discount on your premiums, talk with a representative to see what incentive programs they have, or what projects qualify for a price cut. It would be best if you also gave some thought about your insurance when you are buying a home. What features it has and its location can influence how much (or how little) you pay for insurance every year.

If you have goods to transport them in a reliable, safe, and cost-effective way, then freight trucking is your best option.

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

Freight trucking accommodates a large number of goods and you can move them over long distances. No wonder, this mode of transportation has become quite popular with many businesses that transport goods across the country. Here are the benefits and the type of services you can use.

The key benefits of freight trucking

If you choose to use freight trucking, one of its major benefits is that a truck is faster than most of the other types of vehicles. This is because a truck usually takes the most direct route. For people who want to have their goods delivered within a specified time, a freight truck can fulfill that. Commercial trucks are reliable and can move in different weather conditions, regardless of the type of roads. Whether you have small or larger loads, freight trucking is cost-effective. 

Goods can be loaded and offloaded quickly by professional drivers, and distance is not an issue. Because these trucks have GPS tracking systems and temperature-controlled storage space, it means they can transport various types of goods.

A full truckload

You have to consider the size of your load when it comes to transporting your goods. Hence, the size of the load determines the type of truck that you can use. A full truckload refers to the load that’s more than 40,000 pounds. This is the right choice and works well with goods that you can wrap and place onto the pallets. 

The idea for doing this is to optimize the space. Bear in mind if you have goods that are awkwardly shaped or they are fragile, this is not an ideal way to transport such goods. This is because the loaded goods are left alone throughout the trip to prevent delays and reduce the risks of damages. 

Less than a full truckload

If your goods weigh less than 40,000 pounds, it’s referred to as less than truckloads. The best thing about this choice of transporting goods is you can reduce the expenses. You can realize this by spreading the costs with other people sending their loads in the same truck. 

This is not only one of the cheapest ways to transport goods, but it also gives you a chance to offload the goods in various locations. Because there is no minimum or maximum space of the truck that you require to fill, it provides you with flexibility.

Choosing the best freight trucking services

It can be difficult to choose the best truck to transport your goods. Thankfully, freight broker companies – American Freight Inc. are available to identify on your behalf the carriers that can transport your goods. 

Heavy freight trucking companies or even flatbed freight trucking companies can transport your goods to any destination of your choice. The best thing with freight brokers is that they have the right knowledge and experience to assist both the shippers and carriers.

Designing your dream home or looking for ways to add more natural light in your existing residence or office space? Your space ultimately reflects your personality and style. You’d like to be able to enjoy doing the things you need and love to do—such as cooking, cleaning, resting, working—so it helps if you can actually see what you’re doing. Here are some reasons why you should install a roof skylight so you can instantly benefit from both an improved quality of life & quantity of light.

What’s a Skylight?

By no means a new invention, skylights have existed for many years. Look back at Ancient Roman architecture to see how to open skylights were used to add light to darker parts of their buildings. 

A skylight is a moulded unit built into your roof. Typical models are made from acrylic and single glazed opal, while the more expensive kind use double-glazed glass. Skylights are found in countless working and living spaces & can be designed in various forms & styles. With the option of being vented or not as well as opened or closed, these versatile units can add so much value to a room, no matter your end goal.

The Upside of Having a Skylight

Comparing the before and after effects of installing a skylight can really look as different as night & day. Consider the following advantages to having a skylight in your home or office space:

1. More light

A dark room can be brightened incredibly by the installation of a simple skylight. In fact, skylights are known to add three times the amount of light into a room than a standard window. If you’re looking to brighten your home with natural light, you’ll not only experience seeing more sun but also feel lighter.

How, you may ask?

Consider how individuals suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder need more light in order to feel better. A skylight is particularly helpful if your house or workplace lets in limited natural light from traditional windows or in cloudy and rainy climates. Being more exposed to natural light—and therefore Vitamin D—helps improve your health, mood & productivity. 

1. Larger spaces

If you’re living or working in a small space a skylight can make a big difference. Skylights create the illusion of a space being large than it is in reality. The illumination a skylight brings helps give a less cramped feeling to smaller rooms. Skylights and mirrors can work together to create this desired effect in a space. A skylight acts as a roof window providing an undisturbed view.

1. Less electricity

Using skylights in your space will reduce the number of lights you switch on during the day. You’ll be thankful for the amount you save on electricity each month.

A kitchen skylight can even prove useful at night time when you need to sneak out your bedroom in search of a midnight snack. It illuminates enough for you to see without turning on an additional light.

In colder weather, a skylight helps to offer your space some extra warmth from natural sunlight. Some vented skylights can be opened to circulate air on hot and stuffy days or after cooking up a storm. 

The Downside of Having a Skylight

You may also be wondering about the drawbacks of having a skylight. While these are minimal, it’s important to know what they are before installing yours:

1. Glare and Fade from the Sun

Depending on which room you’d like to install your skylight, remember the flooring that’s directly below it. If it’s a carpet or leather or upholstered couches, you have the risk of the sun casting a nasty glare on these furnishings. This could eventually result in discolouring or fading but can be prevented by including filtered window panes in your skylight, centralfloridaskylights.com is a great resource for skylight installation and repair information.

1. The Cost

On average a skylight installation can cost about over $1000. You need to include the material costs, whether you’re installing a fixed or vented unit and the professional installation. 

This can be quite pricey but it’s dependent on the type of skylight and the company you contract in. You should also make allowances for future maintenance and repairs, but overall this is a reasonable initial investment with long-term paybacks. 

1. Possible Leaks

Always make sure your skylight’s been installed correctly with good quality materials to reduce the chance of leaking energy and heat. Double-paned windows are a good alternative to know you’re using energy-efficient installations.  

There’s also the possibility of moisture leaks. It would be a shame for water to start dripping onto your floor or carpet in the middle of hail or rainstorm. To prevent your household contents from being spoiled or ruined, ensure your skylight is regularly maintained. Sufficient ventilation also assists to filter air and make sure moisture isn’t trapped inside.

Conclusion

If you’re wanting to let in a little more light, investigate installing a skylight in your space today. Consider using the services of a skylight installation company to add light and worth to your property & you can enjoy the benefits for a long time to come. 

So the time has come to accommodate your parents in your own home, you haven’t lived together since you have moved out years ago. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Your home is filled with hazards, not only building hazards and your kids’ toys lying around. The wobbly old recliner chairs must be replaced with electric recliner lift chairs, don’t you think?. 

Not only will you have a new chair in your lounge, you’ll have a chair that is senior-friendly, keeping your parent or grandparent comfortable and happy. Nobody likes a grumpy elderly parent. Renovating your home could be the way to prevent some conflict. 

So, look around your home and see if you can identify hazards. They’re all around you and may not pose any threat to your safety, but it’s different for them. 

Identify Hazards 

Each home is filled with hazards. We don’t notice them as they show no risk to us. For the elderly, simple hazards can cause an injury or more.

Here are some common hazards that you can identify in your home:

• Seating Hazards: Look for this in your living room especially. Your comfortable old chair might be on the verge of collapsing. That’s acceptable for you, but not someone who can hurt themselves when they lose their balance. If one of your parents seat themselves on it and it breaks right underneath them it can cause back problems. And be honest: isn’t that old couch straining your own back? 
• Mobility hazards: Having stairs in your home can be an attractive feature. For the elderly, it can be a tiresome task to climb those stairs and that can cause them to fall. 
• Bathroom Hazards: Most bathrooms have been designed with uneven surfaces or high edges that cause discomfort or risk when entering the shower or bath. 
• Doorway Hazards: The edge of a doorway is not always flush with the floor’s surface. This can cause a tripping hazard.
• Kitchen Hazards: Slippery tiles can cause great risk of slipping. Kitchenware can be outdated and broken or not user-friendly. These can cause major injury to your elderly parents.

Fortunately, these hazards can be easily taken care of. There are six easy ways to make your home more senior-friendly.

1. Removing or Replacing Broken Old Furniture

That comfortable recliner must go. It might just be the one item in your lounge that could cause one of your parents to fall to the ground and seriously injure themselves. Imagine replacing it with an electric recliner lift chair.

Another important aspect you may not think of is the ergonomics. This plays a major role when your parents enjoy their favourite TV shows on your old lounge suite. There are more comfortable and ergonomically safe seats on today’s market. Lift chairs provide comfort in more ways than one. Seat the elderly comfortably, but also help them get back up effortlessly, without unnecessary strain on joints. The new electric lift chair is an investment in their long-term health. 

2. Stairway Safety

If there is no choice and your parents have to use the stairs daily, then you can add a rail to assist them with the climb. Other options are also available to work around getting up the stairs safely. A stairlift can be the answer. 

3. Slippery Surfaces

Most bathrooms and kitchen have tiles, and with some wetness, those surfaces will become slippery. Install slip-proof flooring. Anti-slip tapes are perfect to stick on tiles, especially on the most used places around your home.

4. Uneven Surfaces 

Some areas of your home will have uneven surfaces. Those can cause tripping and major injuries to the elderly. For the safety of your elderly parents, put in the effort by flattening all those uneven surfaces in the garden and inside. If renovation is not a possibility, then install handrails for safe navigation.

5. Dangerous Appliances

Sure, you love that old toaster. It was a wedding gift years ago. But sometimes a little spark jumps at your hand when you grab your toast, right? 

That toaster can cause a shock to one of your frail parents. injuring them or worse. Replace the toaster with a safer and modern one to give you peace of mind. 

Take preventative measures and eliminate objects which can cause electrical shocks before you allow your parents to enter your kitchen and use your appliances. And keep all your kitchen appliances user-friendly for minimal frustration to everyone who will use them from now on.

6. Sharp & High Edges

Something as simple as getting in and out a bath can be a challenge to the elderly. Sharp and high edges are all over the bathroom, causing discomfort or hindering movement. 

You can avoid serious injuries by placing handrails in and around the bath & shower. Installing a fold-down seat in the shower and a seat in the bath will make the experience even safer & more comfortable. 

Conclusion

We love our elderly parents and to take care of them is a blessing; but also a major responsibility. 

Making your home senior-friendly is not only about creating a safe environment. Consider your habits too—keep your parents happy & comfortable in all ways possible by comprising where you can.

Now, have you disposed of that old couch yet?